This is Autonomous Vehicles today and we are here to talk about Autonomous Vehicles. These are cars of the future! In this blog, we explain the ideas, the characteristics, and basically everything new about autonomous vehicles today. Already vehicles that can drive themselves are making incredible progress, however they still have a long way to go before they are socially accepted and a part of the American culture. Thankfully, Autonomous Vehicles Today are here to inform you every step of the way.
The first blog is about how Mercedes will revolutionize the long haul experience.
How many of you have felt tired and come close to falling asleep on the wheel while driving? I certainly have, but I actually like driving. If we feel tired from just driving between a couple cities, think about the long-haul drivers who travel at least 250 miles per trip! Also, they have their own speed limit of 50mph, which means their trips take even longer. Due to federal restrictions, some truckers are forced to spend their entire shift driving when they would rather take a couple hours’ worth of rest. Sadly, every year long-haul truck accidents kill over 5000 people and injure many more. Here comes the good news: Mercedes-Benz recently showcased the Future Truck 2025, a concept truck that can autonomously drive down the highway, thus allowing the trucker to get some rest or complete different tasks. It is important to note that this convenient technology will not replace the driver but make his job easier and safer.
But how will this vehicle operate? How can Mercedes ensure that the technology behind the autonomous navigation will be safe enough for families and friends? Obviously, safety is the largest issue behind this truck and Mercedes seems to have the answer. This 2025 Future truck comes with 360 degree radar and sensor controls constantly being sent out and received. On the truck’s front, radars are mounted to sense objects near and far. In addition on the windshield, radars sense traffic and driving signs, signals, and road markings. On the truck’s sides, radars are placed along the body to sense entire area parallel to the truck as well as two meters in front. In addition, the blind spot is completely covered using radar, thus ensuring safety on both sides for lane changing and emergency vehicles. Finally, on the bottom of the truck, three dimensional digital maps are used to analyze the road’s course and roughness. The three dimensional maps are from an assistance system called Predictive Powertrain Control. All sensor and radar on the truck are networked together, thus creating a complete image of the surrounding. This way, the truck knows exactly what is happening around all sides and can respond accordingly. All this radar and sensor information was from
All this being said, it seems that the 2025 Future Truck will be safe if the technology supporting it is perfected and adjusted to human driving styles and culture. Certainly, I wouldn’t enter a vehicle that wasn’t safe even if I could get somewhere without opening my eyes or touching the pedal. In addition to customer awareness of safety, public road safety is a huge obstacle the autonomous industry faces. Even before the vehicle is publicly showcased, countries such as Europe are banning autonomous vehicles on public roads. Thus, Mercedes must test their truck in areas where such technology is legal, such as states like Nevada and Arizona. According to Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, a Member of the Board Daimler AG, “it basically comes up to who is going to be first. Whoever is going to have the legal environment that we need, we will introduce that technology.” Basically, areas are that up for the technological jump are going to be the first to showcase such technology on the road. So suit up, because in the near future, you may just see a giant Mercedes truck cruising with no one in the driver seat.
Information resourced from
Autonomous Vehicles Today 