Last year, the world-famous company Google presented a new project to the world that could turn the usual car driving around. It has become a unique autopilot system that allows you to drive a vehicle without manual driving.
Installed on a car, this autopilot system is guided on the road using a variety of special sensors that collect information about the surrounding area. These are special cameras, laser radars installed on the front and rear bumpers, a GPS navigation system, a wheel sensor that tracks the movement of the vehicle and determines its position, and an inertial measurement unit.
But the core of the system is a laser light range finder installed on the roof of the vehicle. It reads a detailed three-dimensional map from the environment, compares the information received with accurate maps of the earth and generates data that allow the car to move without problems in space, without touching other road users and without breaking the rules on the road.
Well-designed maps of the world are essential for efficient vehicle operation and accurate positioning. Therefore, before sending the vehicle for an unmanned ride, Google specialists make a test drive along the planned route.
In addition, self-driving cars are able to show their "displeasure" with other vehicles that do not follow the rules on the road. So, in the case of deliberately detaining them at an intersection, the "drone" can slightly jerk forward.
To date, Google's "drones", which have become a number of Toyota Prius cars, have driven about 500,000 kilometers on American roads, showing excellent results. They never became participants in a traffic accident and did not violate traffic rules.
For further testing of the project, Google engineers want to reduce the number of passengers in the car from two to one - before the co-pilot had to secure the car using the steering wheel if the system suddenly malfunctioned. In addition, tests of "drones" will be carried out on snow-covered and repaired roads.
