Self-Driving Cars, Heading Our Way

What are self-driving vehicles?

Self-driving cars are robotic vehicles capable of navigating to a destination without human assistance. Although most of these cars do well under controlled environment, they do require a human in the driver’s seat to take control at any time. These vehicles use a variety of advanced control systems to identify the environment and interpret information.

How do self-driving cars work?

The driver sets a destination on the car’s system, which then calculates the best possible routes and seeks your sign-off.

High-precision sensors do a 60-meter range scan of the current environment and relay the information to the car. This creates a dynamic 3D map.

Sensors on the wheels detect the car’s position and other objects relative to the 3D map. Radar systems on the anterior and posterior sides continuously calculate distances of vehicles, pedestrians, etc.

The car’s system controls the speed and navigation based on dynamic inputs from the sensors and radars.

Fully automatic braking system is integrated within the car’s intelligence unit.

A manual override function helps the driver to take control of the vehicle when circumstances demand.

Benefits of Self-Driving Cars

Self-driving vehicles are defining the future of mobility in many developed societies. The advantages offered by this vehicle technology are so critical that they are influencing the future of transport.

• These vehicles can be programmed to follow traffic rules and help in reducing accidents.
• Programmable driving makes traffic conditions are more predictable; in other words, you can reach your destination at the scheduled time due to smoother traffic and less congestion.
• This technology helps in creating a cleaner, safer and more efficient system of transportation.

Although self-driven cars have long been shown in sci-fi movies, major developments have taken place in this technology that some nations have passed legislation to allow such vehicles to operate legally on public roads. This technology, now embraced by all major corporations, has the backing of governments as well, a factor that will make self-driving cars more commonplace.