Definition of Autonomous Vehicle

Like many of the technological advances that we are enjoying, autonomous vehicles are an old dream of humanity that has its roots in the history (surely the ancients already dreamed of horse carts without a human driver) and of which we have been able to take good note through science fiction.

But it was not until the discipline of the artificial intelligence It has advanced enough, and the power of the machines has allowed it, that we have been able to build truly autonomous vehicles. But what exactly does this mean and where does it lead us?

An autonomous vehicle is one (not necessarily a car, it may be a truck or another format) that has a guidance system that allow you to go, autonomously and without the intervention of any kind by a human driver, from a starting point to a destination.

By definition, therefore, those that are controlled remotely, for example using radio technologies (radio control), are excluded from the consideration of autonomous vehicles.

Although in 1939 a vehicle that was guided only by means of a electrical circuit that had been inserted into the pavement, it was not until the 80s, when the power of the systems computational techniques and technological advances in other areas have made it possible for autonomous vehicles to be possible.

The same philosophy that had guided the autonomous car of 1939, that is, that it was the road that guided the vehicle, was taken into consideration, but over time the vision has come to be imposed that it is the same vehicle that drives itself thanks to an intelligence artificial embedded.

This is more practical, mainly for two reasons: the first is that we can save ourselves from having to adapt all the communication channels to automobile technology, which, if it had to be carried out, would have a slow and expensive.

The second reason is that, being prepared to circulate on any road, the vehicle will be able to reach any destination, regardless of whether it involves having to travel on a "poorly prepared" road, such as a road forest.

Computer vision, artificial intelligence and wireless connectivity are the main technologies that have allowed, for a decade, autonomous vehicles have advanced by steps gigantic.

We can already enjoy part of this technological development as drivers in some new vehicles that are available on the market, such as those that park alone.

The introduction of these advances in vehicles is already causing changes in traffic laws from different parts of the world, such as California, a state that concentrates a large part of the investigation and the development of these, and that provides facilities to grant circulation permits. However, these require that a human passenger can take control at any time, in case problems arise.

In Spain, for example, they have begun to talk about the possibility of creating a driving license Special for vehicles that park alone, but that would be as valid for driving as the license traditional.

The future consequences that the introduction of the vehicle may have autonomous commercially they are, right now, unpredictable.

There are scholars (such as at the IEEE institute) who are of the opinion that, two or three decades from then on, humans would be banned from driving.

Bliss conclusion It is due to the “respect” that autonomous vehicles have for the laws; the intelligence artificial vehicle will never drive drunk, nor will it bother if it is passed, nor will it press the accelerator all the way for the simple pleasure of driving. velocity (since he will not feel pleasure), nor will he miss a signal because he thinks they do not see it... All the sins that humans commit while driving will come down to mechanical failures.

However, and despite these great advantages, a problem arises for those who strongly defend the introduction of autonomous vehicles in our day to day: cybersecurity.

There have been numerous tests carried out that confirm that it is possible to "sneak" into the computers that connect the autonomous cars, and it is even possible to penetrate the “normal” vehicle assistance systems existing today in day.

Cybersecurity is a growing problem, and a concern for manufacturers of all types of electronic devices. cars are no exception.

And for an autonomous vehicle to be able to offer users and others its maximum potential, it must "dialogue" with what surrounds it, it can now be with the road (through intelligent signals, for example), with the other vehicles with which it shares the road (for example, to know when the one in front of you is going to turn), or with global information systems (to obtain traffic data and thereby calculate the best route, for example).

Connectivity implies a certain intrinsic vulnerability, since it is an entry point, regardless of the strength and robustness of the operating system I the software or the firmware.

The take off of research on self-driving vehicles has given way to new companies from the area of ​​technology, setting foot in the automotive sector.

This is the case of Google, which is experimenting with a light car, which does not even have a steering wheel, a kind of utility that would serve as the basis for future designs.

Another company that has entered this sector is Qualcomm with its connectivity hardware, processors and other devices. Blackberry puts its QNX software platform (operating system designed for real-time tasks) within the reach of car builders.

Without a doubt, autonomous vehicles await us on all streets, highways and highways.

Photos: Fotolia - chombosan / the_lightwriter

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