Drive.AI is moving forward testing autonomous vehicle with enhanced communication features.

Drive.ai is moving forward testing autonomous vehicle with enhanced communication features.

Drive.ai's self-driving cars cruise past competitors

Advanced Transport

Drive.ai's Self-Driving Cars Cruise Past Competitors

Drive.ai’s Self-Driving Cars Cruise Past Competitors

<h2>Stop, Look, and Tesla</h2>
<p>The future of autonomous automobiles has been assured, to a great extent, by innovative companies like <a href="https://futurism.com/?s=Tesla" target="_blank">Tesla</a>. While some are still hesitant to accept self-driving cars on the roads (who wouldn&#8217;t be?), and although the technology certainly hasn&#8217;t been perfected yet (remember <a href="https://futurism.com/ubers-self-driving-cars-are-running-red-lights-ubers-blaming-human-error/" target="_blank">Uber&#8217;s San Francisco drive</a>?), new technological improvements daily bring us closer to complete autonomy.</p>
<p>Take Tesla Autopilot&#8217;s latest radar enhancements, for instance. Last September, Elon Musk&#8217;s futuristic car company rolled out <a href="https://www.tesla.com/blog/upgrading-autopilot-seeing-world-radar" target="_blank">version 8.0 of its self-driving software</a>. This radar-processing software included an improved point cloud, which enabled Tesla Autopilot to track what&#8217;s in front of the car.</p>
<p>About 3 months after it was released, this new point cloud system demonstrated just how effective it really can be. It saved Hans Noordsij, a Tesla driver from the Netherlands, a great deal of trouble—and he caught the whole thing on his car&#8217;s dashboard cam.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M_c5kB1qbjY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The video shows the Tesla Autopilot&#8217;s Forward Collision Warning sending out a seemingly misplaced alert, as everything seemed to be humming along quite smoothly. But a few seconds later, we see the collision happen. Noordsij was warned off by his car&#8217;s radar system. Fortunately, despite the seeming seriousness of the crash, no one was badly injured.</p>
<p>Remarkably, the car&#8217;s radar and collision avoidance system correctly predicted a crash <em>involving other cars</em>, and could see the movements of the hidden vehicle in front of the leading car. Whatever you think of driverless technology, the above video is pretty cool.</p>
<h2>The Better It Sees, the Better It Drives</h2>
<p>This isn&#8217;t the first time that the improved software has <a href="https://electrek.co/2016/12/14/tesla-radar-technology-autopilot-saving-owners-accidents/" target="_blank">saved Tesla drivers from accidents</a>. Neither is it the last improvement Tesla has implemented. Just earlier this December, <a href="https://futurism.com/teslas-autopilot-update-ensures-drivers-can-no-longer-speed/" target="_blank">version 8.0.2 was released</a>. It&#8217;s a relatively minor enhancement that prevents drivers from speeding (thanks Elon!), but even such a seemingly insignificant improvement adds to how autonomous vehicles can help keep their drivers—and others around them—safe. And it&#8217;s a timely upgrade, too, especially after Uber&#8217;s self-driving SUVs were caught <a href="https://futurism.com/ubers-self-driving-cars-are-running-red-lights-ubers-blaming-human-error/" target="_blank">beating the red light</a> on a couple of occasions.</p>
<p>Indeed, Tesla&#8217;s Autopilot radar system will further improve the more it is used. According to the <a href="https://www.tesla.com/blog/upgrading-autopilot-seeing-world-radar" target="_blank">blog </a>that accompanied its release:</p>
<blockquote><p>When the data shows that false braking events would be rare, the car will begin mild braking using radar, even if the camera doesn&#8217;t notice the object ahead. As the system confidence level rises, the braking force will gradually increase to full strength when it is approximately 99.99% certain of a collision. This may not always prevent a collision entirely, but the impact speed will be dramatically reduced to the point where there are unlikely to be serious injuries to the vehicle occupants.</p></blockquote>
<p>Of course, we&#8217;re still far from full autonomy.</p>
<p>The self-driving cars we have today still require their driver&#8217;s attention, even just a part of it—especially as the system continues to be improved. As it stands, this new radar system is not a replacement for a driver&#8217;s vigilance on the road.</p>
<p>Yes, self-driving cars are the future—but it wouldn&#8217;t hurt to keep an eye out for trouble along the road, at least for the time being.</p>


Dashcam video shows Tesla's new autopilot radar system correctly predicting a crash involving other cars—with only seconds to spare.

/Autonomous Transportation

Advanced Transport

Drive.ai’s Self-Driving Cars Cruise Past Competitors

Advanced Transport

Watch Tesla’s Autopilot Avoid a Major Accident With Just Seconds to Spare

Load More