Tag Archives: Autonomous vehicles

News

Mercedes-Benz can test Level 4 self-driving systems in China

The automotive industry and everything that goes with it has been on the rise in China for years, and so has autonomous driving. Leaders in the development of autonomous driving, although in strained relations with the EU, have allowed Mercedes-Benz to test self-driving cars with level four autonomy in this country.

Mercedes-Benz got permission to test cars with level 3 autonomy in China late last year, and the new permission is a big deal for the manufacturer as their test self-driving cars are now allowed to move in most situations without the need for humans to take control. The focus will be on U-turns, lane changes and driving in roundabouts, as well as driving at toll booths in Beijing.

Of course, Mercedes is not the only one testing self-driving cars with level four autonomy in China, as Baidu, Hongqi and WeRide are already doing it, but it is the first foreign company with this permission. However, that could soon change, as Tesla is working on getting full approval for its Full Self-Driving system in this country, which should be completed by the end of the year.

They previously received tentative approvals to test 10 cars with the FSD software in June, but it should be noted that the FSD software is considered second-level autonomy, which means that drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times and constantly monitor the situation. Tesla’s approach is unique because every driver using FSD actually helps improve the system through real-world testing.

Also, other companies like GM and SAIC, which launched Level 2 autonomy software last month, are trying to get their share of the pie, but the competition is getting tougher.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

News

Are autonomous vehicles safer than vehicles driven by human beings?

Are autonomous vehicles safer than vehicles driven by human beings? Some research shows they are, but there are always exceptions. An analysis of over 37,000 traffic accidents showed that only 2,100 cases involved vehicles with a high degree of or complete autonomy. Also, it should be pointed out that some data in the accidents that occurred are not complete, but it was enough to establish that the computer is a better driver than a person.

The research was conducted by Mohamed Abdel-Aty and Shengxuan Ding from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and they took as an example situations with pedestrians that are most often cited when talking about the bad characteristics of autonomous driving. When a man was behind the wheel, 15% of collisions were with pedestrians, and when the vehicle was controlled by a computer, only 3%. Also, 1/5 of accidents occur due to human carelessness, while in as many as 3/4 of direct collisions, the cause is human.

The advantage of the computer is particularly pronounced in conditions of poor visibility when a person can see barely 10 – 15 meters in front of the vehicle, while the sensors show the condition up to a hundred meters in front of the vehicle. However, the sensors are not reliable in some situations, so the presence of the driver is decisive and safer in such circumstances, e.g. during sunset and sunrise. During the analysis, an additional problem was that both man and computer drive too well in today’s cars, so there is a possibility of a collision every 100 thousand kilometers.

Human beings have one great advantage, and that is situations when they will better assess and react, such as unforeseen circumstances. This is not the case with a computer, which will often block an ambulance or someone’s free access to the road.

Source: Deutsche Welle