Autonomous Driving

Benefits

Independence for elderly and disabled, convenience for families, potential 30% reduction in vehicles on roads (traffic congestion), estimated 40% savings on transportation costs (vehicles, fuel, infrastructure), potential 9% reduction in energy use and GHG emissions (when paired with eco-driving, platooning, intersection connectivity, and faster highway speeds).

Challenges

Job displacement for drivers

Definition

A vehicle capable of sensing its environment and operating without human involvement, with no or little human intervention required.

Market Progress

China is rapidly advancing in Level 4 autonomy

Key Technologies

LiDAR, Radar, Computer Vision, Automatic Control, Sensor Networks, Machine Learning, HD Maps

Tesla's Approach

Computer vision-only strategy

Waymo's Approach

Sensor-rich, utilizing LiDAR and HD Maps

Development Location

BMW Autonomous Driving Campus, Unterschleißheim, Landkreis München, Bayern, 85716, Deutschland

Levels of Automation

Classified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) into six levels, ranging from full control by a physical driver (Level 0) to a vehicle that can operate without any on-board human input (Level 5).

An autonomous or self-driving car is a vehicle that can move around with no or little human intervention. Most of us have used self-driving trains in airports. However, these operate in a very well-controlled environment. Autonomous cars are designed to operate in the city streets and in motorways. This field is also of interdisciplinary nature, where areas such as radar, lidar, computer vision, automatic control, sensor networks, and machine learning meet together. It is anticipated that the [...] Autonomous driving systems have a lot of overlap with classic motor control systems. For example, steering can be interpreted as a continuous action space, and the same goes for braking and accelerating. Additionally, the autonomous vehicles are controlled in the real-world through motors that perform the steering and the pressing of pedals. Therefore it is fair to say Autonomous driving is a subclass of motor control problems with slight variations in action space, and state space [...] Perception and sensing are at the core of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and robots. An autonomous vehicle, also known as a self-driving car, is a vehicle that has the ability to sense its surrounding environment and navigate safely with little or no human input. Driverless vehicles are meant to change the way people and goods are transported fundamentally and could benefit the future society in significant ways (Yurtsever et al., 2020; University of Michigan, 2021). However, incidents and

An autonomous car is a vehicle capable of sensing its environment and operating without human involvement. A human passenger is not required to take control of the vehicle at any time, nor is a human passenger required to be present in the vehicle at all. An autonomous car can go anywhere a traditional car goes and do everything that an experienced human driver does. [...] The term self-driving is often used interchangeably with autonomous. However, it’s a slightly different thing. A self-driving car can drive itself in some or even all situations, but a human passenger must always be present and ready to take control. Self-driving cars would fall under Level 3 (conditional driving automation) or Level 4 (high driving automation). They are subject to geofencing, unlike a fully autonomous Level 5 car that could go anywhere. ## How Do Autonomous Cars Work? [...] | | | --- | | Benefit | Description | | Independence for Elderly and Disabled | Autonomous cars offer mobility to those unable to drive. | | Convenience for Families | Vehicles can run errands autonomously, enhancing convenience. | | Reduced Traffic Congestion | Potential 30% reduction in vehicles on roads. | | Lower Transportation Costs | Estimated 40% savings on vehicles, fuel, and infrastructure. |

### Self-driving The Union of Concerned Scientists defined self-driving as "cars or trucks in which human drivers are never required to take control to safely operate the vehicle. Also known as autonomous or 'driverless' cars, they combine sensors and software to control, navigate, and drive the vehicle." The British Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 law defines a vehicle as "driving itself" if the vehicle is "not being controlled, and does not need to be monitored, by an individual". [...] Autonomy implies that an automation system is under the control of the vehicle rather than a driver. Automation is function-specific, handling issues such as speed control, but leaves broader decision-making to the driver. Euro NCAP defined autonomous as "the system acts independently of the driver to avoid or mitigate the accident". In Europe, the words automated and autonomous can be used together. For instance, Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 supplied: [...] Self-driving: "A vehicle “satisfies the self-driving test” if it is designed or adapted with the intention that a feature of the vehicle will allow it to travel autonomously, and it is capable of doing so, by means of that feature, safely and legally." Autonomy: A vehicle travels "autonomously" if it is controlled by the vehicle, and neither the vehicle nor its surroundings are monitored by a person who can intervene. Control: control of vehicle motion.

An autonomous vehicle is defined by the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems as one that uses “technology to partially or entirely replace the human driver in navigating a vehicle from an origin to a destination while avoiding road hazards and responding to traffic conditions.” [...] An autonomous vehicle is broadly defined as one equipped with technology that senses the conditions around it, including traffic, pedestrians, and physical hazards and can adjust its course and speed without a human at the controls. The terms “autonomous” and “self driving cars” are often used interchangeably. [...] However, as defined by the SAE, formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, there are six levels of automated driving ranging from full control of a vehicle by a physical driver, assisted by advanced safety technology, to a vehicle that can operate without any on-board human input. Only that top level represents a driverless, or fully autonomous vehicle.