NetworkNewsWire
Editorial Coverage: Self-driving cars are reliant on their
sensors to see the world around them. After years of testing in
favorable conditions, these cars are now being assessed in bad
weather conditions.
- Self-driving cars use a wide variety of different sensors.
- Most testing has taken place until now in areas with good
weather to work out the fundamentals of self-driving more
easily.
- More manufacturers are now testing their self-driving cars in
adverse weather conditions.
- This is revealing the strengths and weaknesses of different
sensor systems.
Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE:
FRSX) (FRSX
Profile) has developed a sensor system that uses
visible light and thermal imaging to see through fog, rain and
snow, and has sold a prototype of the sensor to a leading global
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer. Thermal camera manufacturer
FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) has adapted its
technology to the needs of self-driving cars and recently released
data to help all manufacturers test the effectiveness of thermal
sensors. Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) has
established a subsidiary specializing in self-driving and was the
first to carry out tests on snowy roads. Waymo, a subsidiary of
Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), has established a
self-driving technology center in Michigan for adverse weather
testing. And critical software needed to support these essential
sensors is being developed by companies such as nuTonomy, a
subsidiary of autonomous vehicle specialist Aptiv PLC
(NYSE: APTV).
Self-Driving Whatever the Weather
Self-driving cars are coming ever closer to actually hitting the
roads, with major companies developing and testing completely
autonomous vehicles. Some of the systems these vehicles will rely
on are already in use, assisting drivers through features such as
cruise control.
One of the biggest remaining obstacles standing in the way of
marketing these vehicles is the weather. To date, much of the
testing of these vehicles is taking place in a small number of
areas with limited weather conditions, particularly the hot, dry
desert of Arizona. This has been good for developing the
fundamentals in relatively uncomplicated conditions, but now more
thorough and varied testing is needed. People use their cars
year-round in every country and climate. To be safe on the roads, a
self-driving vehicle will have to be able to operate in severe
weather conditions. As a result, the manufacturers behind
self-driving cars have started testing the vehicles in a wider
range of conditions. These tests are revealing the limits of some
of the current sensor systems and making clear what adjustments
will be needed.
Making Driving Safer
Self-driving vehicles are about more than just novelty or saving
effort. They have the potential to save lives by removing human
error.
Poor weather is responsible for 22 percent of
crashes each year. High winds, fog, rain, snow and standing
water can all lead to crashes if a driver doesn’t recognize and
respond appropriately to the problems those conditions
represent.
To truly save lives, autonomous vehicles must overcome those
concerns. The technology that will make this happen is being
developed all over the world, from design offices in California to
factories in China to facilities owned by Foresight
Autonomous Holdings (FRSX
Profile) in Israel.
Testing in Tougher Environments
In the past few years, the big players in the American
self-driving car game have started testing outside of their home
ground. Ford has run tests
on its self-driving Fusion car in Ann Arbor, Mich. Waymo has
also started testing in Michigan while
continuing to work in the sunnier climes of California, Texas and
Arizona. Ride service Uber, always keen to cut its human resource
costs, is testing cars in Pittsburgh.
Testing in tougher environments sets a challenge for
self-driving cars on two levels. First is the vehicles’ ability to
judge their circumstances and drive accordingly. Do the cars slow
down appropriately on wet roads? Do they account for the reduced
visibility of other drivers in fog? Can they avoid skidding in snow
or mud and follow emergency procedures if their tires lose a grip
on the road?
The second problem is more fundamental. Sensors made by
companies such as Foresight are an autonomous vehicle’s eyes. They
must work properly in all conditions, or a car’s self-driving
equipment may be left blind.
Struggling Sensors
Companies are testing a wide variety of sensors for their
self-driving systems. Some, including Foresight, use passive
sensors such as various vision sensors. Others use active systems
that emit energy beams out into the world and sense obstacles based
on reflected beams.
Of these active systems, radar can be a useful addition in tough
conditions, as it cuts through rain, snow and fog. But it doesn’t
provide a detailed understanding of a complicated environment and
therefore can’t be used to direct a car on its own. Lidar has
different challenges. It can build up a complex picture of the
surrounding environment but is vulnerable to interference from the
weather. The sensor sends out rapid pulses of infrared laser light
to see what is nearby. If one of these lasers hits a raindrop or
snowflake, the car will believe that there’s something right in
front of it, leading to a sudden, potentially dangerous stop.
The Power of Thermal Imaging
If these sensors underperform in poor weather conditions, what
other options are available? The solution may lie in the style of
sensor arrays created by Foresight.
Foresight’s QuadSight sensor
system uses two pairs of infrared/thermal and visible spectrum
cameras. Far-infrared cameras are much less affected by adverse
weather than other sensors. They can see through fog and rain,
providing a better view of the environment than other sensors — or
even the human eye. Combining this thermal data with information
from the visible light spectrum means that QuadSight produces a
powerful range of data for a self-driving car.
The potential of this technology has led to significant
successes for Foresight. The company has sold several prototypes to
automotive manufacturers, including a recent sale to a
Chinese company. With China becoming one of the largest markets
for electric and autonomous vehicles, this sale is a major coup for
Foresight.
The Self-Driving Sensor Sector
Thermal camera manufacturer FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:
FLIR) is keen to draw attention to the potential of these
cameras for self-driving cars. The company produces thermal cameras
with many uses, including in smartphones and drones. Its sensors
are used in driver warning systems by General Motors, Volkswagen,
Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The company recently released a free dataset of annotated thermal imagery
to help researchers and designers create better equipment and
evaluate the effectiveness of sensors.
One of the automotive industry greats, Ford Motor
Company (NYSE: F) has invested heavily in self-driving
vehicles. The company recently reaffirmed that commitment through
the creation of Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, a subsidiary designed
to push forward its automated vehicle work and make the most of the
market opportunities this sector provides. Ford has taken a lead in
preparing self-driving vehicles for difficult weather conditions.
In January 2016, it was the first company to
test an autonomous vehicle on snow-covered roads, and its
recent introduction of further testing in Michigan shows its
determination to solve the problems weather creates.
Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:
GOOG) is heavily involved in self-driving vehicles through
its Waymo subsidiary. Like Ford, Waymo has made use of Michigan to
test self-driving systems in difficult weather conditions,
including rain, snow and sleet. The company’s self-driving
technology center at Novi, set up in 2016, gives Waymo the chance
to work with local tech talent to develop better sensors and
driving systems. With its efforts to develop
self-driving trucks as well as cars, Waymo has the potential to
bring automation to commercial hauling as well as passenger
travel.
Autonomous vehicle specialist Aptiv PLC (NYSE:
APTV) is making significant advances in self-driving
technology, not least through its nuTonomy subsidiary. While Aptiv
is involved in various aspects of automation, nuTonomy specializes
in software for driverless fleets. Such software is vital to safe
self-driving, as it processes the information coming from sensors,
thus allowing vehicles to make driving decisions. The recent
opening of a new technology center in Boston
will help Aptiv and nuTonomy to develop the cars of the future,
capable of driving in all conditions.
As self-driving cars are tested in a wider range of driving
conditions, they face new challenges. Some sensors are proving more
useful than others in adverse weather, and this may decide what
technology eventually guides these cars of the future.
For more information on Foresight Autonomous Holdings, visit
Foresight
Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)
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