Principles of autonomous vehicle technology
Autonomous driving technology utilizes video cameras, radar sensors, and laser rangefinders to understand surrounding traffic conditions and navigates the road ahead using a detailed map (collected from data gathered by a human-driven vehicle). All of this is achieved through Google's data centers, which process the vast amounts of information collected by the car about its surrounding terrain. In this sense, autonomous vehicles are essentially remote-controlled or intelligent vehicles powered by Google's data centers. Autonomous driving technology is one application of Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
Volvo distinguishes four stages of autonomous driving based on the level of automation: driver assistance, partial automation, high automation, and full automation.
1. Driver Assistance Systems (DAS): The purpose is to assist drivers, including providing important or helpful driving-related information and issuing clear and concise warnings when situations begin to become dangerous. Examples include Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems.
2. Partially automated systems: Systems that can automatically intervene when the driver receives a warning but fails to take appropriate action in time, such as the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system and the Emergency Lane Assist (ELA) system.
3. Highly automated systems: Systems that can take over the driver's duties of controlling the vehicle for a period of time, whether short or long, but still require the driver to monitor the driving activities.
4. Fully Automated Systems: Systems that allow driverless vehicles, enabling all occupants to engage in other activities without monitoring. This level of automation allows passengers to work on computers, rest, sleep, and enjoy other entertainment activities.
Autonomous vehicles benefit society, drivers, and pedestrians. The accident rate for autonomous vehicles can be reduced to near zero, and even with interference from other vehicle accident rates, the rapid growth of the autonomous vehicle market share will steadily decrease the overall accident rate. Autonomous vehicles can operate in more energy-efficient and effective modes, thus reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.
