Tag Archives: autonomous cars

Autonomic cars

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Introduction

Autonomic cars, also known as self-driving cars, have been a topic of much discussion and excitement in recent years. These vehicles are designed to operate without human intervention and have the potential to revolutionize transportation as we know it. In this post, I will explore the benefits of autonomic cars and the current state of their development.

Autonomic cars benefits

One of the primary benefits of autonomic cars is increased safety on the roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, human error is a factor in 94% of all car accidents. Autonomic cars, with their advanced sensors and machine learning capabilities, are able to detect and respond to potential hazards on the road much faster than human drivers. This could greatly reduce the number of accidents caused by factors such as distracted driving, drowsy driving, and impaired driving.

Another benefit of autonomic cars is increased efficiency on the roads. Autonomic cars will be able to communicate with each other, as well as with traffic lights and other infrastructure, to optimize their routes and reduce traffic congestion. This could lead to shorter travel times and less wasted fuel.

Autonomic cars also have the potential to improve accessibility for those who are unable to drive, such as the elderly and people with disabilities. They can also be used in ride-sharing services, which could reduce the number of cars on the road and decrease the need for individual car ownership.

Autonomic cars nowadays

Despite these benefits, the development of autonomic cars is still in its early stages. Many companies and research institutions are working on developing the technology and testing it on the roads. For example, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has been testing its self-driving technology on public roads since 2009 and has logged over 20 million miles on its autonomous fleet. Tesla also has a fleet of cars that are capable of self-driving under certain conditions.

However, there are still many challenges that need to be overcome before autonomic cars can be fully realized. One major challenge is the development of robust, reliable sensors that can accurately detect and respond to the environment around the car. Additionally, the cars need to be able to handle a wide range of driving conditions and be able to safely navigate through unpredictable human-driven traffic.

Conclusion

In conclusion, autonomic cars have the potential to greatly improve safety and efficiency on the roads, as well as increase accessibility for those who are unable to drive. Although the technology is still in its early stages, many companies and research institutions are actively working on developing it.

Sources:

https://www.tesla.com/

https://waymo.com/

https://www.nhtsa.gov/

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Is Tesla’s autopilot killing people?

Reading Time: 4 minutes
Подтверждено: по вине «автопилота» Tesla погибло уже четыре человека -  Hi-News.ru


If we start talking about statistics, then it all started much earlier. But it was in 2018 that 21 people died due to accidents caused by the Tesla autopilot (more than in previous years), next year the number of autopilot victims increased to 50 people. Someone will say that then the autopilot was “raw” and did not work properly, but unfortunately the deaths continue. In 2021, it is also possible to state deaths as a result of driving a Tesla with automatic control. In April of this year, 2 people in the United States crashed a Tesla Model S when the electric car was controlled using autopilot. And one of the most recent serious accidents occurred in November of this year, when a Tesla accelerated to 200 kilometers per hour, killed three road users and finally crashed into the stage, during which the driver was hospitalized. The electric car did not react to the brake pedal. Presumably, there was a software glitch in the electric car. Representatives of Tesla expressed their willingness to assist the investigation and said they would actively provide the necessary assistance.

Elon Musk acknowledged the problem

Only in August 2021, Tesla developer Elon Musk admitted that there were serious problems with the operation of Tesla’s autopilot. At the same time, Musk clarified that version 9.2 is problematic, and allegedly in 9.3 the problems will be fixed. But people were dying in Tesla even before version 9.2 was released…

In defense of Autopilot and Tesla

On the one hand, Tesla continues to kill people, but on the other hand, drivers are guilty of not following the instructions. The instructions say that the driver must constantly keep his hands on the steering wheel and, if necessary, in the event of a dangerous situation on the road, immediately take control. In other words, owners are informed that it is impossible to rely entirely on Tesla’s autopilot.

Criticism of autopilot

On the other hand, if a company that aspires to be called the best electric car developer in the world and dictates the fashion in the electric car industry creates an autopilot function, then it should work flawlessly. Otherwise, what is the point of autopilot if it needs to be controlled 100% of the time? Whether with or without autopilot, the driver must constantly monitor the road. But then why do we need such an autopilot? Or are we still seeing a demo version, some developments, but why did they then come out with a finished product?
Usually, automakers recall entire batches of cars if something does not work correctly, and here the node that is responsible for the safety of the driver, passengers and other road users does not work correctly! At the same time, Musk does not even think of programmatically disabling autopilot, and moreover, does not call for refusing to use it. Saying that the next version will be better, he directly appeals to the owners of Tesla with a request to pray for their lives and wait for a miracle update.

This is not the first time the author of the Dan O’down Media channel has criticized Tesla, including for their desire to call the car control assistance system “autopilot”. He conducted an experiment, proving that Full-Self Driving is capable, even in simple conditions, of causing serious injuries or even death to the latter when a car and a pedestrian collide. The test was conducted in clear weather, the car was moving strictly in a straight line. A dummy of a child was installed on the Tesla path, which was static, and did not move or appear suddenly. In all three cases, the autopilot failed to recognize the obstacle and crashed into a human figure. Moreover, the system did not even attempt to slow down, which indicates the “blindness” of Full-Self Driving in this case. Or about a factory marriage?

Tesla “sees” the world around it with the help of stereo cameras that transmit a picture of what is happening “here and now”, and does not rely on pre-built 3D maps of the area. Well, Dan O’downe’s experience proved that the Tesla system has a serious flaw. He recalled that more than one hundred thousand Tesla cars drive on the roads, whose drivers completely rely on Full-Self Driving. Tesla may make a mistake “at the most inopportune moment” on those streets where children go to school.

Автомобили Tesla убивают людей», — за эти слова Huawei уволила главу отдела  беспилотного вождения

Here are two more examples of Tesla’s autopilot does not work properly.

Last month, two cases were recorded when Tesla cars provoked an accident on the motorway at night. Both cases ended with the death of motorcyclists. It turned out that in some situations, automatic driving systems incorrectly determine the road situation, and do not “see” motorcycles.
It is assumed that an automated driver assistance system is to blame for both accidents. In both cases, the motorcyclists were riding in front of the cars, and the car simply caught up with the motorcycle and crashed into it.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Automotive Safety, called on the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to recall the Tesla autopilot because it does not recognize motorcyclists, ambulances or pedestrians. “It’s already clear to me and to many Tesla owners that this thing is not working properly, will not meet expectations and is endangering innocent people on the roads,” he said.

The error of the autopilot or the driver is up to you, but so far the cases and statistics indicate that there are clearly questions with autopilot. As a Tesla car is not bad, compact and eco-friendly, but is it worth trusting the car with your life, taking your hands off the steering wheel and enjoying the ride?

Sources: https://eco-drive.biz/avtopilot-tesla-ubivaet-lyudej/ https://impakter.com/tesla-autopilot-crashes-with-at-least-a-dozen-dead-whos-fault-man-or-machine/ https://www.tesladeaths.com/index-amp.html

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Challenges of self driving cars

Reading Time: 3 minutes

While the arrival of self-driving automobiles has many potential benefits, it also has its own set of challenges. Technology is never flawless, and computers may be hacked. Furthermore, while autonomous cars will make our roads safer, they may also have unexpected societal implications, such as greater unemployment rates.

Some possible issues with self-driving automobiles are inherent in the existing layout and use of our highway infrastructure. Existing road conditions and signs, for example, as well as the transition phase in which some drivers on the road will use autonomous vehicles and others, will use traditional vehicles, might all provide substantial challenges to the adoption of self-driving cars.

Road conditions

Road conditions can be exceedingly variable and vary from location to location. There are smooth and well-marked wide roadways in certain situations. In other areas, the road is severely eroded, with no lane markings. Lanes are not well defined, there are potholes, hilly and tunnel routes with unclear external cues for orientation, and so forth.

Weather conditions

Another stumbling block is the weather. The weather might be bright and clear or wet and stormy. Autonomous vehicles should be able to operate in any weather situations. There is no possibility of failure or downtime.

Traffic conditions

Autonomous vehicles would have to enter the road and drive under a variety of traffic scenarios. They would have to share the road with other autonomous vehicles as well as a large number of humans. There are a lot of emotions involved whenever people are involved. The flow of traffic might be greatly monitored and self-regulated. However, there are times when someone may be breaching driving laws. An item may appear in unforeseen circumstances. Even a few centimeters per minute of movement matters in tight traffic. One cannot wait indefinitely for traffic to clear and for some prerequisite to begin moving. If there are more of these automobiles on the road waiting for traffic to move, it might lead to a heavy traffic.

Accident Liability

Accident liability is the most significant feature of self-driving automobiles. In the case of self-driving automobiles, the software will be the primary component that will operate the vehicle and make all critical choices. While the earliest concepts had a human physically stationed behind the steering wheel. Furthermore, owing to the nature of autonomous vehicles, the occupants will be primarily relaxed and may not be paying careful attention to road conditions. In instances where their attention is required, it may be too late to act by the time they need to.

Radar Interference

Lasers and radar are used for navigation in self-driving automobiles. The lasers are installed on the roof, while the sensors are located on the vehicle’s body. Radar operates by detecting radio wave reflections from nearby objects. When a car is on the road, it emits radio frequency waves that are reflected by other automobiles and things in the vicinity. The time required for the reflection is calculated to determine the distance between the automobile and the object. Based on the radar data, appropriate action is subsequently performed. Radar operates by detecting radio wave reflections from nearby objects. When a car is on the road, it emits radio frequency waves that are reflected by other automobiles and things in the vicinity. The time required for the reflection is calculated to determine the distance between the automobile and the object. Based on the radar data, appropriate action is subsequently performed. Will a car be able to discern between its own (reflected) signal and the signal (reflected or transmitted) from another vehicle when this technology is utilized for hundreds of cars on the road? Even if numerous radio frequencies are available for radar, it is doubtful that this frequency range would be insufficient for all cars made.

What are your thoughts on the self-driven cars? 

Are they going to become the reality?

References:

https://www.johndaylegal.com/potential-problems.html

https://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11447838/self-driving-cars-challenges-obstacles

https://www.livescience.com/50841-future-of-driverless-cars.html

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Tesla, fatal accidents and false advertising

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Unfortunately on the 18 of April 2021 two people died after crushing into a tree in fatal accident in Woodlands, Texas. The car that these two people were in, was a Tesla and there was no-one in the drivers seat. This crash has sparked a discussion whether Tesla is false advertising its cars driving abilities or at least whether their naming scheme is misleading. So far Tesla denied that the vehicle was operating either in Full Self Driving mode, because the vehicle didn’t have an active subscription to this system, but they also said that according to the cars data logs autopilot was also not engaged. People tried disproving that the vehicle could be operating in these modes by showing that if you unbuckle the seatbelts, the car warns the driver and eventually pulls over, as it is shown in this short video:

Video showing how Tesla behaves after you unbuckle the drivers seatbelt

What the video fails to show is that this entire system can be extremely easily cheated by just bucking the seatbelt behind your back. By then the seats weight sensor is disengaged (it foolishly assumes that when the seatbelt us buckled there is someone sitting there). The last thing that separates you from “driving” from any other seat is cheating the sensors embedded in the steering wheel, which has been proven to be extremely easy (for example by hanging a water bottle on the steering wheel).

Of course, Tesla shouldn’t be responsible for their clients stupidity, but they should prevent them from exploiting these systems, especially this easily. Although now, on their website Tesla is explicitly saying that their Autopilot and Full Self Driving systems are only drivers assistance and so called “hands-on” (the steering wheel) systems, why name them as if they allowed you to leave everything up to the car, when this is clearly not the case. Even recently, in emails to California DMV, Tesla has admitted its supposedly Full Self Driving system, that is only available to 2000 beta drivers, is only working as a level 2 (hands on) autonomous system (in a scale from level 0 to level 5). In my opinion all of the Tesla’s “autonomous” systems in their offerings are just Advanced Drivers Assistance Systems, and should be Advertised as such – everywhere. The naming scheme is also highly suggestive, indicating the cars can do much more than they actually can.

Elon Musk has defended the name “Autopilot” saying that on airplanes, there also is an autopilot system and the pilot still has to be attentive and ready to take over. I think this argument is invalid, because pilots (especially commercial) are actually trained to use these features and have to have a certain amount of experience in order to be able to operate such machines.

Although for now the official states that the car was not operating in any of Teslas autonomous modes, how was it even operating if there was no-one in the drivers seat? Assuming that the car actually had autopilot engaged, this is not the first accident involving a Tesla car operating in this mode. Despite the statistics saying that Tesla’s autopilot is almost 10 times safer that “average” vehicle, with one accident every 4.19 million miles traveled with autopilot engaged vs one crash in every 484,000 miles for human-operated cars. Even though the number is impressive it could still be easily improved, if all of people driving Teslas understood what the systems that their cars are equipped with really were.

Stay safe, and remember to always pay attention to the road, whether you are using ADAS systems or not. Don’t text and drive. Stay hydrated.

Sources:

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-04-19/tesla-on-autopilot-kills-two-where-are-the-regulators

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-crash-texas-leads-2-192437979.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANNqmvFndKvefa11nrNSutIEtRYcKe0cBs3MiCvK5pUa4ut6f6FRN49hxcCd8hh2YmAmnOi-AMNa38sp_zUNterB_iwgMblh1VcHNy3cIUJOO9WPB7OnyugCswP5vkt4swfevVASDCE74Ac3BRgO3oVo5vAEfQ1LIAbM4D8aEfG9

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/19/business/tesla-fatal-crash-no-one-in-drivers-seat/index.html

https://www.thedrive.com/tech/39647/tesla-admits-current-full-self-driving-beta-will-always-be-a-level-2-system-emails

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RIVIAN – THE ULTIMATE VEHICLE?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Last week, on the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, we could witness a birth of a new player in the electric cars’ game – Rivian.

To start with, I’ll explain what is hiding under this rather modern name. Rivian’s owner describes his products (because they already launched two, not one) as “The world’s first Electric Adventure Vehicles”. As it turned out, they’ve been working on their project for the last seven years in their headquaters in California (obviously), developing their product with the smallest details and avoiding mistakes previously made by competitors.

So, they made two models – a seven-seat SUV called R1S and R1T, which is a five-seat pick-up. Both of them are based on Rivian’s invention named ‘skateboard’ platform (sounds cool, doesn’t it?), which basically means that parts like the battery, suspension or drive units are placed below the height of each wheel. Not only does it provide much more passenger space, but also a low centre of gravity, which might make the difference in the car that weights 2.6-tonnes.

Potential buyers can opt for three battery sizes: 180kWh (400 mile range) and 135kWh (300 mile range) and a 105kWh battery (230 mile range). Rivian also promises that their products’ interiors are provided with the best quality materials, such as actual wood on the dashboard.

Right, but it all sounds like we’ve already heard that story about a complete revolution in the electric cars industry, best materials, biggest batteries and even bigger numbers attached. Rivian’s owner, RJ Scaringe claims  that he “started Rivian to deliver products that the world didn’t already have.” So, what is so special about this brand?

First of all, their cars are provided with kind of artificial intelligence of the new level. While driving the Rivian, an algorithm constantly analyze your driving style and learn how to better optimize its charge. Welcome to the future!

 

As the Electric Adventure Vehicles, they are expected to provide you some load space, right? Well, in the R1T, there’s 330-litres under the hood (because there’s no engine inside), a 350-litre space in the R1T’s so called ‘gear tunnel’, and a 200-litre bin beneath the rear bed floor.

 

Moreover, both models are equipped with tools like cameras, lidar, radar, ultrasonic and GPS, which allow for ‘Level 3’ autonomy. What does it exactly mean? In Level 3 cars, you’re still needed as a driver, but you are able to transfer safety-critical functions to the vehicle, depending on traffic and other conditions, so they are really close to producing fully autonomous cars with a highest Level 5 autonomy.

And the last but not least – speed. These things are TREMENDOUSLY quick. Both are claimed to reach 60mph in 3 seconds. In a car of this weight, these numbers are far more than impressive.

 

You can already order both of Rivian’s models. The pick-up is expected to be delivered in 2020, and the SUV no earlier than a year after.

So, what do you think about the whole project, apart from the these cars’ names which you probably associate more with a Star Wars’ characters rather than cars? Will Rivian find its niche or make a huge loss? Let me know below!

 

References:

https://www.topgear.com

https://cleantechnica.com/2017/12/02/autonomous-driving-levels-0-5-implications/

 

 

 

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AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Reading Time: 13 minutesAUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

(autonomous vehicles – part 1)

#AUTONOMOUS CARS, #SELF-DRIVING CARS, #INNOVATIONS, #FORD, #GOOGLE

Taking the next step in its Blueprint for Mobility, Ford today – in conjunction with the University of Michigan and State Farm® – revealed a Ford Fusion Hybrid automated research vehicle that will be used to make progress on future automated driving and other advanced technologies.

Picture:URL:http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6155-932×524.jpg or URL:http://www.wired.com/2015/11/ford-self-driving-car-plan-google/#slide-5

Taking the next step in its Blueprint for Mobility, Ford today – in conjunction with the University of Michigan and State Farm® – revealed a Ford Fusion Hybrid automated research vehicle that will be used to make progress on future automated driving and other advanced technologies.

Picture:URL:http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/IMG_6689-932×524.jpg or URL:http://www.wired.com/2015/11/ford-self-driving-car-plan-google/#slide-6

 

Articles: (from WIRED – http://www.wired.com/category/transportation/)

  • “Ford’s Skipping the Trickiest Thing About Self-Driving Cars”

Author: Alex Davies; Date of Publication: November 10, 2015

URL:http://www.wired.com/2015/11/ford-self-driving-car-plan-google/#slide-1

  • “Ford’s Testing Self-Driving Cars In a Tiny Fake Town”

Author: Alex Davies; Date of Publication: November 13, 2015

URL:http://www.wired.com/2015/11/fords-testing-self-driving-cars-mcity/

  • “A Google-Ford Self-Driving Car Project Makes Perfect Sense”

Author: Alex Davies; Date of Publication: December 22, 2015

URL:http://www.wired.com/2015/12/a-google-ford-self-driving-car-project-makes-perfect-

sense/

  • “The Clever Way Ford’s Self-Driving Cars Navigate in Snow”

Author: Alex Davies; Date of Publication: January 11, 2016

URL:http://www.wired.com/2016/01/the-clever-way-fords-self-driving-cars-navigate-in-

snow/

  • “Google’s Self-Driving Cars Aren’t as Good as Humans—Yet”

Author: Alex Davies; Date of Publication: January 12, 2016

URL:http://www.wired.com/2016/01/google-autonomous-vehicles-human-intervention/

 

Nowadays, while focusing on the visions, strategies of companies operating within the automotive sector, it is possible to emphasize that more and more automobile manufacturers are deciding to develop specific technologies that could be implemented during the construction processes of the driverless, self-driving cars. After a deep analysis of the article “Ford’s Skipping the Trickiest Thing About Self-Driving Cars” it can be concluded that it is possible to distinguish two paths towards the automotive autonomy. Moreover, what has to be also emphasized here is the fact that the conventional – well known, “traditional” – automobile manufacturers are in the favor of a step-by-step approach, adding features one-by-one so humans cede control over time. Furthermore, it is also necessary to conclude that the group comprised of conventional automakers indicates that this approach gives them the opportunity to refine the technology, accustom consumers to the coming change, but also gives them the possibility to keep selling conventional cars in the meantime. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that Google perceives that as a complete nonsense and has decided to concentrate exclusively on fully autonomous vehicles that are not even equipped with a steering wheel. What is more, it is necessary to stress that Alex Davies, the author of articles concerning self-driving cars that are presented within this post, is of the opinion that Google – as well as Ford – sees no reason for the middle ground of semi-autonomy.

In the world of automotive engineering, automation can be categorized into six classifications, from Level 0 to Level 5. The lowest level has not been equipped with any autonomous technology. Nevertheless, each additional level adds progressively sophisticated technology up to Level 5, in which computers handle everything and the driver – passenger is strictly along for the ride.

The Ford Motor Company has not said much about its plans for the autonomous age, however, it is crucial to emphasize that the company is road-testing a fleet of self-driving Ford Fusion Hybrids in Dearborn, Michigan, and expects to expand beyond its hometown. The company’s special Fusions are loaded with cameras, radar, LIDAR, and real-time 3D mapping to see and navigate the world around them, which in this case includes concrete, asphalt, fake brick, and dirt. Furthermore, what is also important to present here is the information that Ford is the first automaker to test a fully autonomous car at Mcity, the little fake town built just for self-driving vehicles. Mcity, officially known as the University of Michigan’s Mobility Transformation Center, can be characterized as a 32-acre artificial metropolis intended for testing automated and connected vehicle technologies. The company aims to offer a fully-autonomous car in five years. What is more, according to Alex Davies, Ford decided to concentrate on fully-independent vehicles because it wants to avoid problem with semi-autonomous technology. It has to be also emphasized that the Ford Motor Company, like a vast majority of automakers, operates at Level 2 – its cars can be equipped with plenty of active safety systems like blind spot monitoring, parking assist, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control, but the driver is always in charge. What is also necessary to present is the information that with Level 3 capability, the car can steer, maintain proper speed, and make decisions like when to change lanes, but always with the anticipation that the driver will take over if necessary. It is possible to conclude that Ford aims to focus directly on Level 4 – full autonomy, in which the car is capable of doing everything and human engagement is strictly optional. Moreover, it is also possible to conclude that Ford wants to skip Level 3 because it raises, contains the one of the greatest challenges with this technology: how to safely assign – shift – control from the computer to the driver, particularly in an emergency situations. The author of the article, Alex Davies, describes that as a balancing act, one that requires providing drivers with the advantage of autonomy – not having to pay attention – while assuring they are ready to take the wheel if the car confronts, encounters something it cannot handle.

What is also important here is the data presented by other automaker – German automobile manufacturer – Audi, which says its tests show it takes an average of 3 to 7 seconds, and as long as 10, for a driver to snap to attention and take control, even with flashing lights and verbal warnings. A lot can happen in that time (a car traveling 60 mph covers 88 feet per second) and automakers have different concepts for solving this issue. Audi has decided to implement an elegant, logical human machine interface. Moreover, Volvo, a Swedish premium automobile manufacturer, is creating its own HMI, and says it will accept full responsibility for its cars while using the autonomous mode.

Nevertheless, both Google and Ford are withdrawing from this problem. “Right now, there is no good answer, which is why we are kind of avoiding that space,” stresses Dr. Ken Washington, the automaker’s VP of research and advanced engineering. “We are really focused on completing the work to fully take the driver out of the loop.” Even though the Ford Motor Company has not uncovered much about its capacities – how many cars are used within the test fleet, or how much ground they have covered –, Washington is of the opinion that a fully autonomous car within five years is reasonable, if work on the software controlling it progresses well. What is crucial to emphasize here is the fact that Ford would limit the deployment process of their autonomous vehicle only to those regions where it will be able to provide the extremely detailed maps self-driving cars will require. Furthermore, what is also important to present is the information that, currently, the American multinational automaker is using its self-driving Fusion hybrids to make its own maps. What is also important to stress is the information that it remains to be seen whether that is achievable at a large scope, or if Ford will work with a company like TomTom or Here. Dr. Ken Washington, Ford’s VP of research and advanced engineering, admits that the company’s strategy is pretty similar to Google’s, however it bases, it is comprised of on two crucial differences. First, Ford already builds cars, and will continue developing and improving driver assistance features even as it works on Level 4 autonomy. Second, Ford has no project concerning selling wheeled pods in which people are simply along for the ride. “Drivers” will always have the opportunity to take the wheel. “We see a future where the choice should be yours,” Washington concludes.

Nevertheless the fact that the “self-driving cars age” has become inevitable, it is still possible to distinguish several problems to solve before the involved companies will enable the official deployment of these vehicles. It has to be stressed that one of the greatest challenges here is getting the robots to handle bad weather. Furthermore, what is also crucial to emphasize is the information that all the autonomous cars that are now in the phase of development use a variety of sensors to analyze the world around them. It is possible to conclude that the Radar and LIDAR devices perform most of the work – looking for other cars, pedestrians, and other obstacles –, while cameras typically read street signs and lane markers. Alex Davies, the author of the article “The Clever Way Ford’s Self-Driving Cars Navigate in Snow” stresses that during the bad weather conditions it would be rather impossible to scan the environment for those devices – “if snow is covering a sign or lane marker, there is no way for the car to see it”. Humans typically make their best guess, based on visible markers like curbs and other cars. Ford says it is teaching its autonomous cars to do something similar. As it was emphasized above, the Ford Motor Company, similarly to other players in this area, is creating high-fidelity 3D maps of the roads its autonomous cars will travel. What is more, what has to be also presented is the information that those maps contain specific data like the exact position of the curbs and lane lines, trees and signs, along with local speed limits and other relevant rules. It is possible to conclude that the more a car learns about a region, zone, the more it can concentrate its sensors and computing power on detecting temporary obstacles – people and other vehicles – in real time. Furthermore, it is also crucial to emphasize that those maps have another advantage: the car can implement them to figure out, within a centimeter, where it is at any given moment. Alex Davies gives the following example to illustrate this point: “The car can’t see the lane lines, but it can see a nearby stop sign, which is on the map. Its LIDAR scanner tells it exactly how far it is from the sign. Then, it’s a quick jump to knowing how far it is from the lane lines.” Moreover, Jim McBride – Ford’s head of autonomous research – is of the following opinion: “We’re able to drive perfectly well in snow, we see everything above the ground plane, which we match to our map, and our map contains the information about where all the lanes are and all the rules of the road.” It is also necessary to stress that the Ford Motor Company claims it tested this ability in real snow at Mcity. Nevertheless the fact that the idea of self-locating by deduction may not be exclusive to Ford, this automaker is the first one to publicly show it can use its maps to navigate on snow-covered roads. However, it has to be emphasized that the implementation of this technology has not yet solved all the problems with autonomous driving in bad weather. Falling rain and snow can interfere with LIDAR and cameras, and safely driving requires more than knowing where you are on a map – you also need to be able to see those temporary obstacles.

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Picture:URL:http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Snowtonomous_4693_Story-art.jpg or URL:http://www.wired.com/2016/01/the-clever-way-fords-self-driving-cars-navigate-in-snow/

(What has to be also emphasized is the information that) According to the article “A Google-Ford Self-Driving Car Project Makes Perfect Sense” (Alex Davies; date of publication: December 22, 2015) as well as Yahoo! Autos Report, Ford and Google plan to create a joint venture to work on self-driving cars. Furthermore, it has to be stressed that the setup would use Google’s very sophisticated autonomous software in Ford cars, playing to each company’s strength – Google’s fleet of self-driving cars has logged more than 1.2-million miles in the past few years, and covers 10,000 more each week, while Ford makes and sells millions of cars each year. “If it is true, it makes perfect sense,” Davies emphasizes. What is more, Alex Davies is of the opinion that it is reasonable that Google would want to cooperate with an established – experienced – automaker, because the company has never needed to think about the tens of thousands of parts that must come together following incredibly strict federal guidelines, but also about the processes that require huge plants as well as specific competencies. It is possible to conclude that Ford has been doing all that for a century, so it knows a lot that Google does not. Moreover, it is important to stress that Ford has started to talk publicly about its autonomous driving research two years ago, including its interest in finding new partners. It is also necessary to emphasize that Mark Fields, the CEO of the Ford Motor Company, said that the company is actively looking to work with startups and bigger companies, and that that work is a priority for him. What is also crucial to stress here is the fact that this cooperation would make sense, because – as it was presented above – both Google’s and Ford’s approaches to autonomous driving are remarkably similar. The vast majority of automakers plans to deploy self-driving technologies progressively, adding features one-by-one so drivers cede control over time. However, what is also crucial to emphasize is the fact that Google decided to develop, to construct a car with no steering wheel, no pedals, and no role for the human other than sitting still and behaving while the car does the driving. Automobile manufacturers like Mercedes, Audi, GM, and Tesla plan to offer features that let the car do the driving some of the time, using the human as backup within the emergency situations. Nevertheless, due to the fact that this “level” of autonomous driving covers the issue of transferring safely the control between robot and human – particularly during the dangerous situations –, Google as well as Ford have decided to avoid that part. Moreover, Alex Davies is of the opinion that it is very unlikely that the Ford Motor Company will be contented with providing nothing but wheels, motors, and seats, while Google does all the relevant work. What is more, Bill Ford, the executive chairman and former CEO of the Ford Motor Company, stressed that the thing he does not want to witness is Ford reduced to the role of a hardware subcontractor for companies doing the more creative, innovative work. Furthermore, Dr. Ken Washington, Ford’s VP of research and advanced engineering, admitted that he wants the automaker to build its own technology. “We think that’s a job for Ford to do.

However, what is also necessary to present – while focusing on the issue of cooperation between Ford and Google – is the information that “Google’s Self-Driving Cars Aren’t as Good as Humans (Yet)”. Google has recently announced that its engineers assumed control of an autonomous vehicle 341 times between September 2014, and November 2015. That may sound like a lot, however it has to be presented that Google’s autonomous fleet covered 423,000 miles in that time. Furthermore, it has to be stressed that Google’s cars have never been at-fault in a crash, and Google’s data shows a meaningful drop in “driver disengagements” over the past year. Moreover, what is also crucial to stress, while focusing on the Google’s cars reliability, is the information that Google’s rate of disengagements is also far lower than those declared by other companies testing autonomous technology in California, including Nissan, VW, and Mercedes-Benz. It is crucial to emphasize that of the 341 instances where Google engineers took the wheel, 272 derived from the “overall stability of the autonomous driving system” – things like communication and system failures. What is also significant to present here is the fact that Chris Urmson, the project’s technical lead, does not find this issue very troubling, because – as he states – “hardware is not where Google is focusing its energy right now”. Moreover, it is also possible to conclude the Google team is more concerned with how the car makes decisions, and will make the software and hardware more robust before entering the market. However, while focusing on the remaining 69 takeovers it is necessary to emphasize that they concern more important issues – it is possible to conclude that they are “related to safe operation of the vehicle,” meaning those times when the autonomous car might have made a bad decision. It is also important to stress that due to the Google’s simulator program it is impossible to read openly any reports regarding these incidents – if the engineer in the car is not fully convinced that the AI will perform the appropriate action, she will take control of the vehicle, later, back at headquarters (Mountain View), she will transmit all of the car’s data into a computer and the team will see what the car would have done had she not taken the wheel. According to data Google recently has shared with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), 13 of those 69 incidents would have led to crashes. What has to be also stressed is the information that Google’s cars have driven 1.3 million miles since 2009. It is possible to conclude that they can identify hand signals from traffic officers and “think” at speeds no human can match. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that the Google cars have been involved in 17 crashes, but have never been at fault. Moreover, it has to be presented that Google had previously predicted the vehicles will be road-ready by 2020. At this point, the team usually is not able to solve problems with a rapid adjustment to the code. It has to be stressed that currently the challenges are far more sophisticated as well as complicated. Chris Urmson presents the following example: “In a recent case the car was on a one-lane road about to make a left, when it decided to turn tight instead – just as another car was using the bike lane to pass it on the right.”, “Our car was anticipating that since the other car was in the bike lane, he was going to make a right turn.”, “The Google car was ahead and had the right of way, so it was about to make the turn. Had the human not taken over, there would have been contact.” It is possible to conclude that avoiding repeating so fringe case is not easy, but Google informs that its simulator program “executes dozens of variations on situations the team has encountered in the real world,” which facilitates them test how the car would have react under slightly diverse circumstances. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that Google is getting better. It has to be stressed that the disengagement numbers have dropped over the past year. Eight of the 13 crash-likely incidents took place in the last three months of 2014, over the course of 53,000 miles. The other five occurred in the following 11 months and 370,000 miles. Assuming those 13 incidents would have ended with a crash that stands for one accident every 74,000 miles. “Good, but not as good as humans,” Urmson concludes. It has to be also presented that according to new data from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Americans log one crash per 238,000 miles. It is possible to conclude that before bringing its technology to the market Google must make its cars safer than human drivers (who cause more than 90 percent of the crashes that kill more than 30,000 people in the US every year). “You need to be very thoughtful in doing this, but you don’t want the perfect to be the enemy of the good.” “We need to make sure we can get that out in the world in a timely fashion,” Urmson stresses. What is crucial to emphasize is the information that the Google’s disengagement numbers must keep dropping. The downward trend will maintain, Urmson says, but as the team begins testing in tougher conditions, like bad weather and busier urban areas, it will be possible to notice sporadic upticks. “As we push the car into more complicated situations, we would expect, naturally, to have it fail,” Urmson says. “But overall, the number should go down.

I would like to stress that the broadly defined automotive autonomy is to be one of the most interesting topics of the nearest future. In my opinion, both of the paths towards achieving the Level 4 as well as Level 5 of automation are fulfilled with sophisticated solutions and processes. I have to admit that the second path – the path selected by the two companies that have decided to avoid the problem of semi-autonomous technology, Google and Ford, is even more fascinating. I would also like to emphasize that even if the cooperation between those two companies will not be confirmed, both Google and Ford will be within the group comprised of the most powerful automobile manufacturers that will compete in the race for full automation, and within five years’ time we will have the opportunity to test how it is to use our vehicles without the necessity to drive. Furthermore, it is also crucial to remember about the two of the main elements enabling self-driving cars to ride – about the projects regarding the high-fidelity 3D maps that together with Radar and Lidar devices will be deployed in the autonomous vehicles. I believe that the systems composed of Lidar scanner and 3D maps will provide us the most accurate artificial drivers in terms of broadly defined safety. All things considered, I would like to emphasize that even though the age of autonomous vehicles is on its way, it is still possible to distinguish several problems to solve before we will be only acting – voluntarily – as passengers (behavior of the system at the high speeds, issue of trust, bad road conditions, and emergency situations).

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MZ

 

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