EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
MODULE: FIVE
DRIVERLESS CAR ( IN OUR FUTURE )
- Introduction
Known as robotic or informally as driverless or self-driving, is an autonomous vehicle capable of fulfilling the human transportation capabilities of a traditional car.
It is capable of sensing its environment and navigating on its own. A human may choose a destination, but is not required to perform any mechanical operation of the vehicle.
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| Driverless Car ( Autonomos ) Copyrights: http://www.autonomos.inf.fu-berlin.de/made-in-germany |
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| Copyrights: http://www.autonomos.inf.fu-berlin.de/made-in-germany |
The Driverless vehicles sense the world with such techniques as radar, lidar, GPS and computer vision. Advanced control systems interpret the information to identify appropriate navigation paths, as well as obstacles and relevant signage. Autonomous vehicles typically update their maps based on sensory input, such that they can navigate through uncharted environments
The Systems
The Systems
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| Copyrights: http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/04/driverless-cars-are-in-our-future.html |
There have been several programs around the world. In June 2011 the state of Nevada was the first jurisdiction in the United States to pass a law concerning the operation of autonomous cars.
The Nevada law went into effect on March 1, 2012, and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles issued the first license for a self-driven car in May 2012.
The license was issued to a Toyota Prius modified with Google's experimental driverless technology
Three U.S. states have passed laws permitting driverless cars, as of September 2012: Nevada, Florida and California(Alex Knapp, 2011).
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FUTURE IMPACTS AND BENEFITS
Driverless (Autonomous) cars are not in widespread use, but their introduction could produce several direct advantages on the society such as:
- Fewer traffic collisions: due to the autonomous system's increased reliability and decreased reaction time compared to human drivers.
- Increased roadway capacity and reduced traffic congestion: due to reduced need of safety gaps and the ability to better manage traffic flow.
- Relief of vehicle occupants from driving and navigation chores
- Removal of constraints on occupants' state - it would not matter if the occupants were too young, too old, distracted, intoxicated, or otherwise impaired. Furthermore, disabilities would no longer be an issue
- Alleviation of parking scarcity as cars could drop off passengers, park far away where space is not scarce, and return as needed to pick up passengers.
- Reduction of physical road signage - autonomous cars could receive necessary communication electronically (although physical signs may still be required for any human drivers)
Many automotive manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Volvo, and Cadillac have begun testing driverless car systems(Jack Carfare, 2010)
CLICK HERE THE LINK BELOW TO WATCH DRIVERLESS CAR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyk1VLTSH_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgQpa1pUUE
Legislation
One of the most significant obstacles to the proliferation of autonomous cars is the fact that they are illegal on most public roads.
The Nevada Legislature passed a law in June 2011 to authorize the use of autonomous cars. Nevada became the first jurisdiction in the world where autonomous vehicles might be legally operated on public roads.
The bill was signed into law by Nevada's Governor on June 16, 2011. According to the law, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (NDMV) is responsible for setting safety and performance standards and the agency is responsible for designating areas where autonomous cars may be tested
The law went into effect on March 1, 2012.
Google supported this legislation in an effort to legally conduct further testing of its Google driverless car. As of 2012, Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and California are also considering the legalization of autonomous cars (Slosan. Mary, 2012).
Vehicular communication systems
Individual vehicles may benefit from information obtained from other vehicles in the vicinity, especially information relating to traffic congestion and safety hazards.
Vehicular Communication Systems are an emerging type of networks in which vehicles and roadside units are the communicating nodes, providing each other with information. As a cooperative approach, vehicular communication systems can allow all cooperating vehicles to be more effective.
According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicular communication systems could help avoid up to 81 percent of all traffic accidents.
Computer scientists at the University of Texas in Austin are developing intersections designed for the autonomous cars of the future. The intersection will have no traffic lights and no stop signs, just computer programs that will talk directly to each car on the road( Arth. Michael E, 2010).
REFERENCE LIST
254. "Koushik Dutta - Google+ - The Unintended Effects
Jack Carfrae (25 May 2010). "An automated adventure at the wheel of a driverless BMW - The National". Thenational.ae. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
Alex Knapp (22 June 2011). "Nevada Passes Law Authorizing Driverless Cars". Forbes. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
John Markoff (10 May 2011). "Google Lobbies Nevada To Allow Self-Driving Cars". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
Slosson, Mary (8 May 2012). "Google gets first robotic car license in Nevada". Reuters. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
Muller, Joann. "With Driverless Cars, Once Again It Is California Leading The Way", Forbes.com, September 26, 2012
Cowen, Tyler (28 May 2011). "Can I See Your License, Registration and C.P.U.?". The New York Times.
O'Toole (2009) p. 192
"Future Car Focus: Robot Cars".
Arth, Michael E. (2010). Democracy and the Common Wealth: Breaking the Stranglehold of the Special Interests.. Golden Apples Media. pp. 363–368. ISBN 978-0-912467-12-2..
