Autonomous driving refers to any car that can operate in a fully autonomous manner. Currently, there are various types of autonomous cars that are being tested on the road.
The technology is expected to transform our economy, society and the way we travel. It could also decrease accidents and emissions.
Technology
In order to drive autonomously, a vehicle must be able to perceive its environment and understand what it sees. This requires a multitude of sensors in different locations within the car. Radar sensors scan the surroundings for static and mobile obstacles, video cameras read road signs, traffic lights, and other vehicles, and computer vision identifies and tracks pedestrians. Lidar sensors bounce pulses of light off surrounding objects to measure distances and identify lane markers. Global positioning systems (GPS) are used to locate the vehicle on earth, and 5G technology will allow vehicles to communicate with one another and with infrastructure such as traffic lights, street signs, and roads themselves.
A car’s sensors also have to learn how to interpret and process the information they receive. For example, the system might need to know that a pedestrian is about to cross the road, but it might not have enough information to determine whether swerving or speeding up would make the situation safer.
Engineers need to test AVs for millions of miles before they can be deployed, and even then, the cars must demonstrate that their failure rate is no greater than the human-fatality rate on US highways. Achieving this milestone will require an enormous amount of computational power, but current hardware capabilities are rapidly approaching these requirements. Another challenge is that the widespread use of AVs could displace millions of people currently employed as drivers and negatively impact public transportation funding, thus perpetuating the inequalities in our current transportation system.
Safety
The safety of autonomous vehicles is a top priority for manufacturers, and it will be important for consumers as well. A recent survey found that more people are willing to pay for life-saving autonomous features than they would for connectivity or fuel efficiency. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is working to develop a set of federal regulations that will ensure AVs are safe to use on public roads. These regulations will cover testing procedures, cybersecurity requirements, and data recording rules for fully driverless vehicles.
Autonomous driving systems must be able to respond quickly to a wide range of situations, including sudden movements by other cars, pedestrians crossing the road, or animals jumping into the roadway. They must also be able to recognize countless objects, from trees and rocks to road signs and even reflections in the sun. To do this, the vehicles must collect terabytes of data every day.
While the NHTSA’s AV regulations are an encouraging step in the right direction, there are still many challenges. For example, the technology must be able to operate reliably for 275 million miles before it can be considered safe enough for mass adoption.
In addition, there are concerns that AVs may be vulnerable to hacking and other security risks. Manufacturers will need to address these issues if they want the public to trust their vehicles.
Regulations
Autonomous driving is poised to revolutionize the way people travel. It will reduce congestion, improve safety, and increase productivity by reducing the time people spend on their commutes. It will also reduce the number of accidents, which saves lives and averts lost economic activity.
In some countries, the government has already begun developing legal frameworks for autonomous vehicles. These laws establish clear performance-based requirements that manufacturers must meet to be allowed to market AVs in those countries. They also include provisions governing type approval, technical requirements, audit and testing on test tracks and in real-world conditions.
The technology behind ADAS and self-driving cars is constantly evolving. Hence, regulating these vehicles can be difficult. While regulations are important, they should be flexible and allow for innovation in the automotive industry. For example, tests that gauge the performance of a vehicle in winter conditions may not be relevant to last-mile autonomous delivery trucks operating on college campuses.
While New York City deserves praise for considering a policy that would enable AVs to be tested on its streets, the proposed rules still fall short of current accepted regulatory practices. They require a licensed driver to be present in the vehicle at all times, which hinders the development of fully autonomous cars. In addition, the rules do not address data security, which is essential for AVs to operate safely on public roads.
Benefits
The development of self-driving cars is a huge opportunity for society. It could significantly reduce traffic accidents and improve the economy. However, there are many challenges that must be overcome before autonomous vehicles can be widely adopted. First, security is a big concern. Self-driving cars will need to communicate with each other over a wireless network, which can be susceptible to hacking. Even a small hack can cause a car to suddenly slow down or swerve, creating dangerous situations on the road. Second, the technology will displace millions of jobs. Truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, and fast food delivery workers would all have to find new employment. The economic benefits of automated vehicles will also be diminished if they aren’t affordable enough for most people to purchase and use them.
Autonomous vehicles can eliminate human error, such as a slow reaction time or distracted driving, which causes accidents. This can lead to a dramatic decrease in the number of accidents, which will result in less traffic congestion and fewer injuries. It will also save money on gas and reduce harmful emissions.
The AV industry is currently working on the development of autonomous cars that can drive themselves. While the technology is still a work in progress, there are already hints of its potential in the form of blind-spot monitors and emergency braking systems. These technologies are being developed to help drivers cope with the demands of long distance travel.