Autonomous driving technology

 

Driverless cars allow transportation and cities to be planned ina completely new and revolutionary way since technology is infinitely better at driving cars than humans are. Science fiction? No, probably not. This debate has evolved from discussing whether we will have autonomous cars to when they will become a reality.

An autonomous car is controlled by an automatic driving system that does not need a physical driver. Most auto manufacturers are currently working intensely on projects in this field, and even companies like Google and Apple are in the race. “We are heading towards an era when autonomous cars will be the new norm,” says Kristian Palm, Head of Business Unit at Cybercom, who is involved in the development of the new technology.

An example of a key role for Cybercom is as an integration and software development partner in the SCOOP@F project. This project was initiated by the French government and the EU in partnership with auto manufacturers Renault and Peugeot. In the years to come, a vast number of new cars will be equipped with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). ITS is based on wireless technology that enables cars to communicate with one another via Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) and with overhead traffic systems through Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I).

The systems are key pieces of the puzzle in a world of autonomous cars, as they can take into account the events around them on the roads and process the trajectory, speed, and intentions of other vehicles. “They obtain information on everything from accidents ahead, slippery road conditions, and parked cars to the speed of other vehicles and pedestrians, all while processing this information exponentially faster than human drivers,” says Kristian. Initially, the V2X systems (Vehicle to everything) will primarily be used for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), prior to being developed into fully autonomous driving. This means, for example, that drivers could be assisted with braking before they manage to react to external factors, thus avoiding collisions.