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What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:04 am
by Horse
. . . If, big IF , an auton. car can be set up to work acceptably on our roads, will we see one set for advanced driving? If so, what settings will need to be adjusted?

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:22 am
by jont-
As requested, moved into a new thread.

I'd expect the biggest problem for passengers would be the unfamiliar variations in speed (faster in the fast bits, slower in the slow bits). If they're doing it right, why will we need speed limits at all? Surely the car can work out what an appropriate maximum speed will be? :twisted:

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 7:26 am
by StressedDave
Pedestrians - it's a hell of a lot for LiDAR to process and they'd have some expectation of approach speed.

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:02 am
by Horse
StressedDave wrote:Pedestrians - it's a hell of a lot for LiDAR to process and they'd have some expectation of approach speed.


Couldn't it be the other way around? The system identifies obstructed view (ie surprise horizon), then adjusts speed based on stopping distance? [Albeit it would need to guesstimate the likely speed of an obstruction appearing]

However, I do wonder how any autonomous system can cope with a pedestrian stood stock still - then launching out across the road? [Insert 'dog', 'child', deer', etc.]

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:11 am
by jont-
Here's an example of a current system
.

And yes, it surprised me how shortsighted it appears to be.

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:36 am
by Horse
'Long distance' is probably a restriction resulting from camera pixels, so the solution would be to increase the number of cameras, or possibly even replicate the way the eye/brain work together, ie identify a concern then look at it.

The GoPro action cameras have mega-pixel still capabilities, so to use video on wide/zoom the system simply selects pixels giving the required field of view. A similar method could be used by selecting a 'cluster' of pixels to analyse.

Perhaps :)

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:41 am
by akirk
Horse wrote:However, I do wonder how any autonomous system can cope with a pedestrian stood stock still - then launching out across the road? [Insert 'dog', 'child', deer', etc.]


The same way in which a human does? Slow down to give more reaction and stopping time until the hazard is past...

Alasdair

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:52 am
by Horse
I was thinking more about the 'machine vision', we can identify a static pedestrian, the machine might see an object no different from a pillar box. We use observation links - what would be the machine equivalent?

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:57 am
by jont-
Horse wrote:I was thinking more about the 'machine vision', we can identify a static pedestrian, the machine might see an object no different from a pillar box. We use observation links - what would be the machine equivalent?

Much the same as humans - pattern recognition (hence the "training" sequences referred to in the nVidia video). Of course once you're data logging from many cars simultaneously, you can potentially learn faster than humans. But accidents will still happen while going through that learning phase (unless you've got a way to hand back to drivers quickly enough).

Re: What would an "advanced driver" autonomous car do...?

Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 11:22 am
by Horse
Of course, the machine will have options and opportunities that we mere mortals (yes, I know, 'speak for yourself, H') can't and won't.

For example, use of infra red cameras to supplement visible (to us!) light.

Another benefit would be that, potentially, one vehicle could warn those following or approaching of what it's identified, 'populating a real-time map' so to speak. Even better, rear-facing sensors could identify hidden hazards as they are passed and so become visible, then warn following vehicles.