Italy to China in Driverless Vehicles: Testing of Automotive Technology
July 21st, 2010 - 9:48 pm ICT by Angela Kaye Mason
July 21 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The longest test drive of an automobile with no driver was launched Tuesday by a team of Italian engineers in an eight thousand mile trek which spans from Italy to China and is expected to take three months to complete.
Two bright orange van-type vehicles were equipped with lasers, scanner,s and cameras which are designed to work together to seek out obstacles and guide the vehicle to avoid them. The trip is planned to go through the city of Moscow, endure the summer heat in Siberia, and the winter cold in the Gobi desert before it ends in Shanghai near the end of October.
Project leader Alberto Broggi explains the reasoning behind the trip, “What we are trying to do is stress our systems and see if they can work in a real environment, with real weather, real traffic and crazy people who cross the road in front of you and a vehicle that cuts you off.”
There will be two pairs of vehicles on this trip. The driver-less vehicles will be led by vans from which they will take their cue. They will have to respond properly to any obstacles or dangers. Two technicians will occupy the driver-less cars, and will fix any glitch which may occur and take over the wheel in case of emergency.
One of these technicians will be placed in the driver’s seat to avoid any liability, and permission was gained from each of the countries through which the vehicles will pass, since there are no laws in force as of yet, pertaining to a driver-less car. “We will definitely need some help by humans. It is not possible to have 100 percent driver-less. This is why I call it a test, not a demonstration,” Broggi said.
They are expecting failure. As a matter of fact it is a desired part of the plan. The main focus of the trial is to see what fails in the process, and find out what is needed to perfect the driver-less vehicles.
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Tags: alberto broggi, automotive technology, bright orange, crazy people, cue, glitch, gobi desert, lasers, matter of fact, mile trek, obstacles, october project, project leader, shanghai, siberia, summer heat, test drive, two pairs, type vehicles, vans