Self-driving cars are getting quite the hype these days, and deservingly so. The advent of these autonomous vehicles could revolutionize our very transport system making our lives easier and safer, on the whole.
In this article, we will discuss the different aspects of self-driving cars in thorough details for your reference. So let’s begin without any further ado.
The Technology
Modern self-driving cars are based on 4 different technologies, namely:
- Radar technology,
- LIDAR technology,
- Ultrasonic, and
- Passive visual technology.
Let’s take a closer peek at these four now.
- Radar Technology
Radar technology utilizes radio waves for the object, velocity, and angle determinations. It has a decent range but low resolution and is suited well for close range object detection.
- LIDAR Technology
“LIDAR” stands as the acronym for Light Detection and Ranging.
Similar to the radar technology highlighted up above, the LIDAR technology uses laser light for object identification and distance measurements.
LIDAR is exceptionally good at detecting speed and distance up to a range of 200 meters in the light or the dark.
Downsides of the LIDAR technology:
- Unlike radar, LIDAR’s not very good at detecting close objects.
- LIDAR would not work well in the rain, fog, or dust.
- LIDAR cannot distinguish between color and contrast.
- Ultrasonic Technology
The ultrasonic system uses ultrasonic sound waves for distance calculations.
Ultrasonic sensors are effective for close range detection and can work fairly well in all-weather conditions. But these sensors don’t have the same range as that of radar or LIDAR.
- Passive Visual Technology
Passive visual technology uses a combination of cameras and sophisticated image-recognition algorithms to comprehend what the cameras are seeing.
This system can detect contrast, color, and resolution better than any other system.
For complete details on functionalities of the above-mentioned technologies, refer to the infographic below:
Source- Visual.ly [Made by Plates4Less]
Potential benefits of self-driving vehicles
1. Safety
Autonomous cars can play a significant role in decreasing the number of deaths and injuries occurring as a result of a car crash.
After all, fewer human drivers mean fewer mistakes.
2. Efficiency
Self-driving vehicles can communicate with one another.
This can help to improve your overall driving safety and can also help to keep car thieves at bay in the best possible manner.
3. Convenience
Self-driving cars can free up your hands while you keep your attention on the road.
They can take care of intricate driving options such as parallel parking, cruising, narrow alley navigations, and other similar functions on their own.
A final word…
Self-driving technology is still in its infancy. The potentials are undoubtedly there for the taking but as for when such features become a part of our reality, only time will tell.
