Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[California Senate votes to bring autonomous cars closer to reality]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/california-senate-votes-to-bring-autonomous-cars-closer-to-reali/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/california-senate-votes-to-bring-autonomous-cars-closer-to-reali/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/california-senate-votes-to-bring-autonomous-cars-closer-to-reali/#commentsFiled under: ,



California is on its way to taking a ride with the autonomous car. By a vote of 37-0, the State Senate approved Senate Bill 1298 (you can read it here) that begins to establish how guidelines on and oversight of self-driving vehicles will be handled.

The bill charges the Department of the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles with providing recommendations to the legislature on "the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California's public roads" with and without a licensed driver present. However, the driverless provision can't come into effect until the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration draws up federal guidelines on autonomous cars without drivers.

The bill is being championed by Senator and MIT graduate Alex Padilla, who envisions "a future that includes self-driving cars" because, "Autonomous vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce traffic fatalities and injuries." California is the second state after Nevada to make genuine progress on the road to autonomous vehicles, and four other states are considering legislation. The CA bill goes to the State Assembly next and is expected to pass.

California Senate votes to bring autonomous cars closer to reality originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex padillaautonomous carbmw autonomouscaliforniadriverlessgoogle autonomous vehiclesself-drivingSenate Bill 1298Wed, 23 May 2012 08:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20242392/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/23/california-senate-votes-to-bring-autonomous-cars-closer-to-reali/20242392/article-detail.xml 20242392 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/bmwautonomousvehicle_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/bmwautonomousvehicle.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Google's autonomous car drive a blind man to Taco Bell]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/30/watch-googles-autonomous-car-drive-a-blind-man-to-taco-bell/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/30/watch-googles-autonomous-car-drive-a-blind-man-to-taco-bell/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/30/watch-googles-autonomous-car-drive-a-blind-man-to-taco-bell/#commentsFiled under: ,

Google autonomous car

Do you consider yourself a driving enthusiast? If so, does the thought of handing control of your car over to a series of computers scare you to death? We understand. But perhaps it's time to remember that those of us who love to drive aren't the only ones who want to use the road.

As you'll see in the video after the break, autonomous cars hold out hope for some men and women who are simply unable to drive themselves. Take, for instance, Steve Mahan, who lost 95 percent of his vision over the course of several years, leaving him clinically blind. Obviously, Mahan isn't able to drive.

What Mahan can do, however, is sit behind the wheel of an autonomous car, in this case, a Toyota Prius converted to operate sans driver by Google. And when he does, he directs the car to take him to Taco Bell before picking up his dry cleaning.

Questionable food choice aside, we hope that one day in the not-too-distant future people like Steve Mahan will be able to regain the kind of mobility made possible by the automobile that most of us take for granted. Just so long as we can share the road in our old-fashioned drive-it-yourself cars, too. See the video after the break.

Continue reading Watch Google's autonomous car drive a blind man to Taco Bell

Watch Google's autonomous car drive a blind man to Taco Bell originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autonomousautonomous carautonomous vehiclesdriverlessdriverless cargooglesteve mahanFri, 30 Mar 2012 12:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20204384/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/30/watch-googles-autonomous-car-drive-a-blind-man-to-taco-bell/20204384/article-detail.xml 20204384 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/steve-mahan-driverless-google_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/steve-mahan-driverless-google.jpg <![CDATA[How autonomous cars are about to change our future]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/27/how-autonomous-cars-are-about-to-change-our-future/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/27/how-autonomous-cars-are-about-to-change-our-future/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/27/how-autonomous-cars-are-about-to-change-our-future/#commentsFiled under: ,

New Technology Aims To Take Your Hands Off The Steering Wheel

autonomous car

The biggest hurdles to autonomous cars will be legal, not technical.

Most car enthusiasts hate the idea of cars that can drive themselves. But autonomous cars will get here faster than most people realize. Slowly but surely, automobiles are doing more of our driving for us. It's only a matter of time before they take over completely.

Just look at how much control we've already ceded to the computers under the hood. Anti-lock brakes, which are consistently better at threshold braking than mere mortals, are pretty much standard equipment. So are traction control and stability control. We now have blind spot detection, lane departure warning, active lane control, and even self-parking.

Now comes the next step. Mercedes-Benz and Audi recently demonstrated Traffic Jam Assist, which uses adaptive cruise control and automatic steering to completely take control of a car up to 60 kilometers an hour (about 37 mph). Google has racked up tens of thousands of miles on its fleet of fully autonomous Toyota Prius hybrids on California roads. The technology will be showroom ready before the end of the decade.

The biggest hurdles will be legal, not technical. For example, who's at fault when one of these cars gets in an accident? And how will the police pull over an autonomous car if they need to? But we'll resolve those issues, and when we do, autonomous cars will have a bigger impact on society than when the first horseless carriages appeared over a century ago.

John McElroyJohn McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every month he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading How autonomous cars are about to change our future

How autonomous cars are about to change our future originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Autoline on Autoblogautonomousautonomous cardriverless cargooglegoogle carjohn mcelroyTue, 27 Mar 2012 16:55:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20202076/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/27/how-autonomous-cars-are-about-to-change-our-future/20202076/article-detail.xml 20202076 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/autonomous-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/autonomous-car.jpg <![CDATA[Google awarded patent for autonomous car mode]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/15/google-awarded-patent-for-autonomous-car-mode/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/15/google-awarded-patent-for-autonomous-car-mode/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/15/google-awarded-patent-for-autonomous-car-mode/#commentsFiled under: ,

Google autonomous car patent

Depending on your point of view, autonomous cars are either long overdue or a technology to be avoided at all cost. We see both sides of the argument, but a recent patent secured by tech giant Google may mean the best of both worlds.

U.S. patent number 8,078,349 describes a vehicle that can switch from regular human-operated driving to autonomous mode at the push of a button. Sort of. First, the operator needs to direct the machine to a predefined "landing strip." There, a "reference indicator" (think of something like a QR code affixed to the road) would combine with GPS coordinates to allow the vehicle to know its exact location.

If the stars are aligned and the moon is in the seventh house everything is found to be in working order, Google could send the car directions on where to go and how exactly to get there.

Naturally, there's a ton of technical mumbo jumbo in the patent, and if you're game, you can read all about it here. As pointed out by ConceivablyTech, Google is packing plenty of uber-smart star power behind this technology, so we wouldn't be at all surprised to see cars autonomously taking occupants on short trips within a relatively short period of time. Just so long as we can switch it off when the roads get good...

Google awarded patent for autonomous car mode originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autonomousautonomous carautonomous patentdriverless cargooglegoogle autonomous carpatentThu, 15 Dec 2011 18:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20128842/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/15/google-awarded-patent-for-autonomous-car-mode/20128842/article-detail.xml 20128842 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/google-autonomous-patent_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/google-autonomous-patent.jpg <![CDATA[GM debuts next step in vehicle-to-vehicle communications [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/18/gm-debuts-next-step-in-vehicle-to-vehicle-communications/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/18/gm-debuts-next-step-in-vehicle-to-vehicle-communications/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/18/gm-debuts-next-step-in-vehicle-to-vehicle-communications/#commentsFiled under: , ,

GM vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology

General Motors is working on a new vehicle communications system that could help avert up to 81 percent of crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The system uses small mobile devices, like smart phone applications, to gather information about the vehicle's surroundings. The system could alert the driver of stalled vehicles on the side of the road, drivers who are abruptly stopping, averse road conditions and even stop signs and stop lights before the hazards come into view. GM is already testing the system in two ways - with a small dash-mounted transponder and a smartphone application that integrates with the vehicle's in-dash display.

The system uses dedicated short-range communications, or DSRC, to transfer data between similar devices within a quarter-mile radius. In addition, the system can communicate with fixed radios connected to traffic lights or construction zones.

GM says that the tech could arrive in the automaker's vehicles in as little as a decade. If it works as promised, the technology could not only keep us out of a fender bender, but it could also alleviate traffic congestion and help drivers get where they're going more efficiently. We like the sound of that. Hit the jump for a video along with the press release.

Continue reading GM debuts next step in vehicle-to-vehicle communications [w/video]

GM debuts next step in vehicle-to-vehicle communications [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autonomous cargeneral motorsgmsmart phonevehicle to infrastructure technologyvehicle to vehicle communicationsTue, 18 Oct 2011 13:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20084121/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/18/gm-debuts-next-step-in-vehicle-to-vehicle-communications/20084121/article-detail.xml 20084121 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/gm-vehicle-communications-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/gm-vehicle-communications-628.jpg <![CDATA[BMW begins testing autonomous car tech on highways]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/bmw-begins-testing-autonomous-car-tech-on-highways/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/bmw-begins-testing-autonomous-car-tech-on-highways/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/bmw-begins-testing-autonomous-car-tech-on-highways/#commentsFiled under: ,

bmw autonomous test drive

Automakers are always looking to push the boundaries with experimental technology, but BMW seems to be ahead of the curve with respect to autonomous vehicles. Previously, BMW was sticking to closed circuits to show off its TrackTrainer. Now, however, the German automaker is venturing out on to public roads, and it's doing so with an automated 5 Series fitted with advanced ConnectedDrive technology.

The system is enabled with a push of a button, once a driver has reached a highway. After it's allowed to work its technical sorcery, the ConnectedDrive system takes over acceleration and braking duty. If the system detects a slower moving vehicle in front, and no vehicles to the side, it's capable of passing said traffic.

BMW is hard at work teaching its prototype how to deal with more traffic situations, such as construction sites and intersections. As the system continues to learn, it will only get better at making sure you're non longer needed. Click past the jump to learn more about this autonomous BMW prototype, and be sure to get a closer look by clicking through the gallery.

Continue reading BMW begins testing autonomous car tech on highways

BMW begins testing autonomous car tech on highways originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5 seriesautonomous 5 seriesautonomous bmwautonomous carautonomous drivingbmwbmw 5 series connecteddrivebmw connecteddriveTue, 30 Aug 2011 17:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20030449/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/30/bmw-begins-testing-autonomous-car-tech-on-highways/20030449/article-detail.xml 20030449 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/012-bmw-5-series-connected-drive-lead_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/012-bmw-5-series-connected-drive-lead.jpg <![CDATA[We lap Laguna Seca in BMW's autonomous Track Trainer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/26/we-lap-laguna-seca-in-bmws-autonomous-track-trainer/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/26/we-lap-laguna-seca-in-bmws-autonomous-track-trainer/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/26/we-lap-laguna-seca-in-bmws-autonomous-track-trainer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

BMW Track Trainer at Laguna Seca
BMW 330i Track Trainer at Laguna Seca - Click above for high-res image gallery

You know what's scary? Autonomous cars. What's scarier? An autonomous car that can lap Laguna Seca at eight-tenths and post sub-two minute lap times all day long. BMW's 330i Track Trainer can do just that. And we have the video to prove it.

Continue reading We lap Laguna Seca in BMW's autonomous Track Trainer

We lap Laguna Seca in BMW's autonomous Track Trainer originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3 series330iautonomousautonomous carautonomybmwbmw track trainerfeaturedlaguna secaself-driving cartrack trainerThu, 26 May 2011 15:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19950425/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/05/26/we-lap-laguna-seca-in-bmws-autonomous-track-trainer/19950425/article-detail.xml 19950425 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/bmw-track-trainer-laguna-1_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/bmw-track-trainer-laguna-1.jpg <![CDATA[Audi announces first-ever display at SEMA]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/20/audi-announces-first-ever-display-at-sema/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/20/audi-announces-first-ever-display-at-sema/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/20/audi-announces-first-ever-display-at-sema/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Audi Atonomous TTS Pikes Peak
Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak Demo - Click above for high-res image gallery

Good news, Las Vegas-bound Audiphiles: Your favorite four-ringed German automaker has announced that it will have an official presence at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November. As you might expect, Audi's latest technology will be featured prominently, including some sort of new Audi "After Sales and electronics products that enhance connectivity and entertainment."

Also on the show floor will be the firm's Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak Demonstrator along with an R8 Custom Spyder by STaSIS Engineering, equipped with a supercharged version of Audi's 5.2-liter FSI V10 engine putting out an impressive 710 horsepower. Finally, the company plans to show off its latest extreme sports Audi gear, whatever that means.

Naturally, we'll be coming at you live from Las Vegas, but in the meantime, feel free to peruse the official press release after the break.


Gallery: Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak


[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi announces first-ever display at SEMA

Audi announces first-ever display at SEMA originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi autonomous ttsaudi autonomous tts pikes peakAudi R8 Custom Spyder by STaSIS Engineeringaudi semaautonomousautonomous carautonomous vehicleautonomous vehicleslas vegassemasema 2010sema las vegasSEMA Showsema show 2010stasis engineeringWed, 20 Oct 2010 10:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19680818/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/10/20/audi-announces-first-ever-display-at-sema/19680818/article-detail.xml 19680818 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/10ttscpikespeak03hrcmyk-copy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/10ttscpikespeak03hrcmyk-copy.jpg <![CDATA[Video: ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google's self-driving Toyota Prius]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/14/video-abc-news-gets-taken-for-a-spin-in-googles-self-driving-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/14/video-abc-news-gets-taken-for-a-spin-in-googles-self-driving-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/14/video-abc-news-gets-taken-for-a-spin-in-googles-self-driving-t/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Testing Google's driverless car
ABC News goes for a spin with one of Google's driverless cars - Click above to watch video after the jump

Google's autonomous fleet has been clandestinely racking up the computer-driven miles, and so far, their autonomous autos have been fault-free. One minor incident happened when a car was rear-ended, but the Skynet Google cars have yet to incur any points on their virtual licenses. Earlier this week, ABC News got the chance to go for a spin in one of the tech company's automated cars, riding shotgun in a computer-controlled Toyota Prius.

The engineers from Google explain that the Prius utilizes a series of cameras and a roof-mounted, spinning laser to see what is going on around it. The result is a vehicle which might just be safer than one with a human behind the wheel. However, according to the report, the goal of the system is not to completely remove the driver from the equation, the system is pitched as more of a "super cruise-control" than a full auto-drive system. The theory is that it would be useful for traffic-filled commutes to and from work, and it might be a nice solution to eliminate or reduce distracted-driving. Get a phone call? Hit the Google button and let the car have the wheel while you take your call.

Becky Worley, the news correspondent in the video clip, even gets up the guts to give the Google car a real-life brake test. She steps in front of it as it's motoring down the road. What happens? The car "sees" her and slams on the binders. Check it all out in the video after the jump.

[Source: ABC News]

Continue reading Video: ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google's self-driving Toyota Prius

Video: ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google's self-driving Toyota Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abc newsautonomousautonomous carautonomous vehicleautonomous vehiclesbecky worleydriverlessDriverless Carsgooglegoogle autonomous vehiclesgoogle cargoogle carsgoogle driverless carspriusself-drivingtoyota priusThu, 14 Oct 2010 12:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19671261/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/10/14/video-abc-news-gets-taken-for-a-spin-in-googles-self-driving-t/19671261/article-detail.xml 19671261 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/google-car_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/google-car.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Helicopter crashes on Pikes Peak while filming Audi commercial *UPDATE]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/17/report-helicopter-crashes-on-pikes-peak-while-filming-audi-comm/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/17/report-helicopter-crashes-on-pikes-peak-while-filming-audi-comm/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/17/report-helicopter-crashes-on-pikes-peak-while-filming-audi-comm/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Audi Atonomous TTS Pikes Peak
Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak - Click above for high-res image gallery

A helicopter carrying four crew members filming a commercial for Volkswagen/Audi has crashed near the summit of the famed Pikes Peak Highway just west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County. The pilot is reportedly in critical condition, and three passengers are listed as stable.

Due to the location of the crash, a medical helicopter is unable to reach the victims, so crews are attempting to transfer the injured to nearby Crystal Creek Reservoir, which is the closest the medics were able to get. Hazmat crews have reportedly been dispatched to clean up a 150-gallon fuel spill from the crash.

According to KKTV in Southern Colorado, the crew was filming Audi's driverless car as it navigated to the summit of Pikes Peak. Click past the break for a couple videos of Shelley, Audi's autonomous TTS, in action. Thanks for the tip, Mason!

*Update: Audi's official statement on the incident is pasted after the break.

Gallery: Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak


[Source: KKTV Colorado | Photos by jurvetson | CC2.0]

Continue reading Report: Helicopter crashes on Pikes Peak while filming Audi commercial *UPDATE

Report: Helicopter crashes on Pikes Peak while filming Audi commercial *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiautonomousautonomous carautonomous vehicleautonomous vehicleshelicopterhelicopter crashpikes peakshelleyvolkswagenFri, 17 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19638264/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/17/report-helicopter-crashes-on-pikes-peak-while-filming-audi-comm/19638264/article-detail.xml 19638264 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/10ttscpikespeak03hrcmyk-copy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/10ttscpikespeak03hrcmyk-copy.jpg <![CDATA[Audi unveils new livery for Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak [w/Video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/25/audi-unveils-new-livery-for-autonomous-tts-pikes-peak-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/25/audi-unveils-new-livery-for-autonomous-tts-pikes-peak-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/25/audi-unveils-new-livery-for-autonomous-tts-pikes-peak-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has revealed a new livery for its Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak research car, drawing on the look of the original Quattro coupe rally cars of the early 1980s. When the Autonomous TTS was first announced late last year, we were expecting it to be running this weekend in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. The current time-line for the program is to run the TTS up the mountain this fall and then go for a new world land speed record for autonomous vehicles at a yet-to-be-disclosed dry lake bed.

The sensing hardware of the TTS is using a different approach from earlier autonomous vehicles. Instead of the array of cameras, laser and radar, this car is using only high precision differential GPS along with the inertial sensors that are part of the stability control system. Driving is handled by a pair of computers in the trunk with hardware comparable to a laptop. One machine runs the sensing software and safety algorithms while the other handles the vehicle dynamics. The latter is being developed to let the TTS run like a rally car, drifting on gravel corners in order to get maximum speed. There's a video of the car in motion after the jump, but we'll be on hand to see it running the mountain later this year.


Gallery: Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak


[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi unveils new livery for Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak [w/Video]

Audi unveils new livery for Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak [w/Video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi autonomous ttsaudi autonomous tts pikes peakaudi ttsAudiAutonomousTtsAudiAutonomousTtsPikesPeakAudiTtsautonomousautonomous audi ttsautonomous carautonomous vehicleautonomous vehiclesAutonomousAudiTtsAutonomousCarAutonomousVehicleAutonomousVehiclespikes peak unlimited classPikesPeakUnlimitedClasstts pikes peakTtsPikesPeakFri, 25 Jun 2010 12:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19531212/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/25/audi-unveils-new-livery-for-autonomous-tts-pikes-peak-w-video/19531212/article-detail.xml 19531212 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/10ttscpikespeak03hrcmyk-copy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/10ttscpikespeak03hrcmyk-copy.jpg <![CDATA[Mercedes-Benz inches closer to fully automated driving]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/16/mercedes-benz-inches-closer-to-fully-automated-driving/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/16/mercedes-benz-inches-closer-to-fully-automated-driving/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/16/mercedes-benz-inches-closer-to-fully-automated-driving/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Benz
Mercedes-Benz automated test driver setup - Click above for high-res image gallery

Working on autonomous vehicle systems is all the rage lately, and Mercedes-Benz is no exception. Most of the work has been going within research groups and as part of competitions like the DARPA Urban Challenge. Mercedes-Benz has moved its automated driving work over to driver-assistance test groups. It's using the automation technology to evaluate crash avoidance systems without putting test drivers and engineers at risk.

By using its autopilot systems, the test maneuvers can be reproduced much more consistently. This isn't the first time that such systems have been employed in testing. Chrysler built an Automated Durability Road (ADR) at its Chelsea Proving Ground in the mid-1990s. The ADR used robotic drivers for accelerated durability testing over extremely difficult surfaces.

In both cases, the automakers can do far more extreme testing than would be possible with human drivers. Among the things Mercedes will be testing for is unintentional airbag deployments when driving over curbs, and detection of high-speed merging traffic or sudden braking.


Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Autopilot


[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz inches closer to fully automated driving

Mercedes-Benz inches closer to fully automated driving originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 May 2010 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automated drivingAutomatedDrivingautonomousautonomous carautonomous vehicleautonomous vehiclesAutonomousCarAutonomousVehicleAutonomousVehiclesautopilotmercedesMercedes Benzmercedes benz autopilotmercedes-benzMercedesBenzMercedesBenzAutopilotSun, 16 May 2010 17:26:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19478426/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/05/16/mercedes-benz-inches-closer-to-fully-automated-driving/19478426/article-detail.xml 19478426 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/ad10c44601-copy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/ad10c44601-copy.jpg <![CDATA[Volkswagen's autonomous "Junior" reverse power-slides into parking spot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/11/volkswagen-and-stanfords-junior-autonomously-power-slides-int/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/11/volkswagen-and-stanfords-junior-autonomously-power-slides-int/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/11/volkswagen-and-stanfords-junior-autonomously-power-slides-int/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Click above to watch video after the jump

Automotive technology is rapidly advancing to the point where we eventually won't need to actually drive a car ourselves in most real world scenarios. At the forefront of this development work is Volkswagen and its new electronics lab in Palo Alto, California that's operated in conjunction with Stanford University. VW and Stanford have a long relationship in autonomous vehicle development and are continuing to develop "Junior," an autonomous Passat wagon that was built for the last DARPA Urban Challenge a couple of years ago. We recently got to play passenger in the backseat of Junior for a demonstration and were quite impressed with its parking prowess.

The basic hardware technology that makes Junior work is fairly straightforward: a mix of GPS, radar, laser, optical and inertial sensors. The hard part is creating the software algorithms that allow the system to detect and work through the more esoteric scenarios that arise in the real world.

The videos after the jump show just far those algorithms have come: Junior can now reverse power-sliding into a parallel parking spot. While this particular scenario is probably not something you want your autonomous car to do without your permission, learning how to do it is important. In the real world there are many variables that cannot be programmed into the controls. The Stanford engineers are developing methods to allow the system to blend instructions for basic scenarios with learned responses from situations like this. Check out the videos after the jump. A tip of the hat to James!

[Source: Crunchgear, Youtube]

Continue reading Volkswagen's autonomous "Junior" reverse power-slides into parking spot

Volkswagen's autonomous "Junior" reverse power-slides into parking spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 May 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autonomousautonomous carautonomous parkingautonomous power slideautonomous vehiclesAutonomousCarAutonomousParkingAutonomousPowerSlideAutonomousVehiclespassatPower SliderPowerSliderstanfordStanford Universitystanford-universityStanfordUniversityvideovolkswagenvolkswagen juniorVolkswagen Passatvolkswagen passat juniorvolkswagen stanfordVolkswagenJuniorVolkswagenPassatVolkswagenPassatJuniorVolkswagenStanfordTue, 11 May 2010 12:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19472502/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/05/11/volkswagen-and-stanfords-junior-autonomously-power-slides-int/19472502/article-detail.xml 19472502 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/screen-shot-2010-05-11-at-11.33.09-amopt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/screen-shot-2010-05-11-at-11.33.09-amopt.jpg -1 2