One Step Closer To Cars That Really Can Drive Themselves

from the internal-and-external-sensors dept

Wed, Sep 20th 2006 11:22pm — Mike Masnick

Last week we mentioned a Chinese car company that was running a demonstration of a car that could drive itself -- an idea that's been talked about for years. Most attempts to do this rely on a series of sensors in the vehicle itself. But, these days, there's really no reason to just limit it to on-board sensors. Nissan has been at work in Japan trying to build a system that takes data from road sensors installed to monitor traffic to relay specific information to drivers. That is, rather than just telling you there's traffic ahead, it can warn you that there's a car approaching behind a turn, or warn you that an approaching traffic light is turning yellow or red if you're not slowing down. Basically, rather than just relying on internal sensors, it's taking information from sensors all around the environment as well to provide more real-time information. It's not being designed for driverless cars yet (instead focused on giving additional information and warnings to drivers), but it wouldn't be surprising to see it be used in the future for driverless cars. Of course, one interesting point raised in the article is whether or not these types of systems provide too much information for drivers. If you knew every time there was a car approaching on the left at an intersection, it could become overwhelming. The trick is to balance what information the driver needs to know, with what information it's useful for the car's computers to know.

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18 Comments

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JJ, 21 Sep 2006 @ 2:46am

question
How do these sensors communicate with the car? What technology do they use?
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OneClick, 21 Sep 2006 @ 3:52am

Do your own work
This island nation, with numerous narrow roads often jammed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, has infrared sensors hanging from street poles relying information to car navigation equipment so drivers can map out the quickest routes.

Seems your answer was right there in the link provided by the poster of this article. Maybe next time you should read what's actually there and see things with your eyes. You might find life to be much easier if you're not always asking others to do the simple things for you.
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- Lucky Joe, 21 Sep 2006 @ 4:12am
  
  Re: Do your own work
  It looks like Mr. OneClick is in desparate need of some decaf coffe, or taking kindergarden again and learning some social skills instead of eating all that paste. :-P
  
  So he didn't click the dang link-- no reason to get all up in his digital face about it. Sheesh.
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- Flamsmark, 21 Sep 2006 @ 12:25pm
  
  Re: Do your own work
  that doesn't seem to answer his question. you've said how the sensors work [using ir to detect objects] but not how they communicate.
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yossi, 21 Sep 2006 @ 4:05am

what a terrorist wouldent give to hack a system like this one you're imagening
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Wait a tic!, 21 Sep 2006 @ 4:39am

Pot Kettle Black
You're doing the same thing to Mr. OneClick and now I'm doing the same to you. You see how this works? Ignore those who annoy you and they'll soon be gone. Something every web-poster should hold true.

Besides, he has a point. No matter how he states it. At least he didn't treat him completely like a child. OneClick should just learn that about 80% of web surfers have ADD and need help with even the most simple of tasks.
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MrMajik, 21 Sep 2006 @ 6:04am

What a hacker's delight. Instead of messing with just Windows they get to mess with the entire car. I prefer sticking with using my own sensors.
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Proch, 21 Sep 2006 @ 6:10am

Two words - WI FI
Cars driving themselves is inherently difficult because they have to figure out everything out for themselves and act as individuals. If cars were linked wirelessly they could move in unison - and an error in the navagation system of a single car would be less likely to cause an accident.
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Gopher Aspen, 21 Sep 2006 @ 6:29am

This has all been done ...
Modern rail systems use sensors in the tracks to communicate to engines and engineers how fast the train should be going, automatically applying brakes or power depending on track/weather conditions, congestion, grade, upcoming turns, stops, etc ...

I don't want something else controlling my Z06 when I take it out to stretch it's muscles - or even my daily driver for that matter. I *enjoy* driving (which is why I will never buy an automatic trans vehicle again).

Improve public transport in America so people who don't like to drive don't feel compelled to - don't clog up roadways with "intelligent" machinery.
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Faz, 21 Sep 2006 @ 6:35am

i like the idea, but do i really want another back seat driver screaming @ my mistakes.....
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Drunk Driver, 21 Sep 2006 @ 7:09am

Warning!
*Alert! You are driving on the sidewalk! Alert!*
*Alert! You are hitting pedestrians! Alert!*
*Alert! The Police are attempting to stop you! Alert*

On a serious note... Who's going to stop the people in charge of this technology from turning it into a 'black box' for cars? Who's going to stop them from tracking every single trip you've taken? Will this system automatically report you for running a red light?

These are the things I wish to know!
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- eb, 21 Sep 2006 @ 8:29am
  
  Re: Warning!
  From what I've read, there are already black boxes in many American cars (don't know about foreign car companies) and they may be mandated in the future to provide police information about conditions existing just before accidents, etc.
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The Original Just Me, 21 Sep 2006 @ 8:34am

Re: JJ vs. OneClick Smackdown
I'm going to go with JJ on this one. I believe OneClick missed a technical point.

The sensors hanging from poles use IR to obtain their data. It says they bean this information to cars. It doesn't say they use IR to bean the information, nor do I believe that would work. The effective operational distance for IR just isn't long enough to prevent accidents, nor would it work in fog, snow, or around corners.
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Scheffy, 21 Sep 2006 @ 9:29am

Probably a more beneficial application would be...
...on motorcycles. I'm betting a lot of people (myself included) would be willing to pay a chunk of change for a little handheld unit that would do that stuff if they decided to make them. Maybe incorporate them into a GPS unit? Considering any technological hurdles, it's a longshot, and probably a long way off in either case. But it would be nice to get some advance warning of whether or not that cell-phone-blabbing, makeup-applying, Hummer-driving soccer mom bearing down behind me is showing any signs of slowing down, or if she's just going to ignore the stop sign I'm at and punt me through the intersection like a helmeted beach ball. Not like something like that would ever happen...
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- Flamsmark, 21 Sep 2006 @ 12:30pm
  
  Re: Probably a more beneficial application would b
  following that logic, surely it's even *more* valueable a technology for cyclists?
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Anonymous of Course, 21 Sep 2006 @ 10:06am

Available now if you drive a big rig
There are systems available now that
warn a driver if his rig starts to leave
the lane. It's some sort of visual system.
I'd guess it keys off the lane markings.

They also have anti-rollover systems that
operate the compression brake if the
vehicle is turning at too high a rate of
speed.
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Ashwin, 21 Sep 2006 @ 10:13am

The army is working on terminating sensory data on the surface of the tongue. This would be another nice application for that technology.
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- Flamsmark, 21 Sep 2006 @ 12:31pm
  
  Re:
  explain?
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