automatedcar
Latest
US DOT outlines safe transition to self-driving cars
US legislation for self-driving cars first made its way to the House of Representatives this past July. The bipartisan SELF DRIVE Act passed the House vote on September the 6th, and will now need to go through the Senate. Odds are that we'll see autonomous cars on the road sooner rather than later, thanks to this bill and new voluntary guidance The US Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The governmental agencies released new guidelines on Tuesday that provide federal guidance for automated driving systems to both individual states and businesses.
Report: Google to develop automated driving system with Continental and IBM
Both Google and German auto supplier Continental made Nevada their high-tech vehicle testing grounds in 2012, but who'd have thought the companies might end up collaborating? According to German newspaper Daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the tech giant is very close to inking a deal not only with Continental but also with IBM. The paper's sources didn't go into specifics, only that the trio will collectively cook up an automated driving system for cars. It's worth noting that what Continental tested in Nevada was a driver assist technology that makes it easier to navigate traffic. Whether Google is bringing the firm onboard to fine-tune its own self-driving car system or whether the companies will work on something new remains to be seen. However, if the deal does go through, we'll know at least some of the juicy details in September, as Continental plans to officially debut the collaboration at the Frankfurt Car Show.
California Governor Brown signs bill clearing use of driverless cars on public roads (video)
Google just chalked up one of the more important victories for driverless cars. California Governor Jerry Brown has signed bill SB1298 into law, formalizing the legal permissions and safety standards needed to let automated vehicles cruise on state-owned roads. While the bill lets anyone move forward with their plans, it's clear from the ceremony that local technology darling Google is the primary impetus for the measure: Brown visited Google's Mountain View headquarters to put ink to paper, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin oversaw the signing with his Google Glass eyewear on full display. If you're dying to see driverless vehicles become mainstays of the Golden State, the official act making that possible is already available to watch after the break.
VW's Golf GTi "53 plus 1" is fully autonomous
You might think Volkswagen, of all car companies, would argue the best part about driving is the bit where you're driving (i.e. "fahrvergnugen"), and that drivers are, you know, wanted. Not so any longer, friends; looks like the higher ups got the Stanley bug and pimped their ride -- though not in any normal sense of the vernacular. They've begun showing off a new cloak and dagger prototype vehicle dubbed the VW Golf GTi "53 plus 1" (you're allowed not to catch the Herbie reference), which apparently uses a rig of laser sensors, GPS, and a radar net to drive itself at speeds of up to 150mph. We'll give you a moment to let that sink in. Now, why they had all this technology under wraps while Stanford was busting ass overhauling one of VW's own Touaregs for the DARPA Grand Challenge is beyond us, but unlike those "driving pleasure" types, you can give us a safe (clean burning) robo-car any day of the week. Except Sunday, that's drivin' day.[Via GoRobotics]
