“Autonomous cars will be available sooner than you think!”
PRETORIA, South Africa, September 2016 – Ford is going all-in to develop autonomous cars and recently announced its intention to produce high-volume fully-autonomous (self-driving) vehicles by 2021.
The company is collaborating with four hi-tech startups in order to access the most cutting-edge technology in autonomous mobility and is also doubling its Silicon Valley team in order to stay ahead of the autonomous game.
According to Mark Fields, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company, the next decade will be defined by the automation of vehicles and it’s likely to have as big an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago.
Also read: Are self-driving cars safe enough to be allowed on the road?
Autonomous cars will have a massive global impact. Not only will it change the way we travel, but it will affect the way we do business, reduce our carbon footprint and reshuffle workforces in numerous industries. It’s going to change the way we live our daily lives and here’s what we think you need to consider:
- It’s going to happen sooner than you think
Ford has been working on autonomous vehicles for many years and a lot of the technology is already in its current line-up.
Features such as Adaptive Cruise Control to manage speed by sensing the vehicles ahead; Active Park Assist that helps you park; lane-keep assist to help nudge you back into a lane if you are drifting; as well as Ford’s new Pre-Collision Assist with Head-Up Display which detects a potential collision and automatically applies the brakes if the driver does not respond to warnings – are all technologies readily available today. These systems are the building blocks of a fully autonomous car.
- Don’t worry, it won’t drive into trees
Ford has invested in Velodyne – an industry leader in the production of light detection and ranging sensors (LiDAR). In simple terms, LiDAR uses ultraviolet and near infrared light to ‘map’ or ‘image’ objects in great detail. The reason LiDAR is the most effective solution for self-driving cars is that it can target a wide range of materials from metal, rock, water and even chemical compounds. LiDAR literally ‘sees’ everything.
- They will learn and adapt
Ford has also acquired SAIPS – a computer vision and machine learning company. In other words: Artificial Intelligence (AI). SAIPS specializes in algorithms that enable machines to learn through visual and signal processing as well as classification. This means your future autonomous Ford will be able to learn new signs / patterns / habits without the need to reprogram or update.
- They’ll recognise you
Through an exclusive license agreement with Nirenberg Nueroscience LLC, Ford has access to the most advanced research in how visual information is transmitted to the brain. Studies at Nirenberg Neuroscience have led to a ground-breaking platform that includes functions such as facial recognition, object recognition and navigation.
In reality, this will go hand-in-hand with the SAIPS learning systems mentioned above, creating an-all-encompassing platform that allows autonomous cars to function completely on their own. There’s no telling when (or if) facial recognition will come into play, but we love the idea of your Ford literally being happy to see you.
- They’ll know where they’re going
Ford has also invested in a company called Civil Maps that has pioneered a new 3D mapping technique which is scalable and more efficient than current processes. This will allow Ford to develop high-resolution maps with all the data needed for self-driving cars to navigate on their own.
Autonomous cars are an undeniable part of our not-too-distant future. It won’t happen overnight and not all countries will embrace self-drive in the same way, but it’s inevitable. Ford has been developing autonomous technologies for years and by partnering with other industry leaders it is securing its place at the front of the autonomous pack.
Via: Ford Motor Company