There are so many reasons why we’re excited about self-driving cars! With self-driving cars, you could nap or get work done while on a long road trip. You wouldn’t have to worry about leaving work early to pick your kids up from school. Traffic congestion would be a thing of the past! On December 28th, Ford’s latest version of the autonomous Fusion was unveiled. Although the technology was beyond impressive, the most notable detail about the vehicle was its appearance - it looks just like any ordinary car. The initial version of the self-driving Fusion sported cameras and sensors on the roof that appeared almost antennae-like.
The new version is much more streamlined in appearance with sensors tucked away on the sides and the roof. We can’t help but think that the technology in autonomous vehicles is advancing so rapidly that soon the cars will be able to blend into society seamlessly.
The Fusion’s sensors allow the car to see two football fields in every direction. Short-range and long-range sensors enable the vehicle to detect objects in all weather and road conditions. This Fusion’s got some junk in its trunk. Its brain that is! All the data collected from the sensors and cameras and sent to the brain which can generate one terabyte of data an hour.
Ford began this momentous project only three years ago. Ford’s goal is to produce a level 4 autonomous vehicle by 2021. Level 4 autonomy means that the car can handle most roads conditions and that there is no need for a brake pedal or a steering wheel. A driver does not need to intervene with this level of autonomy. Ford intends for the vehicle to be used for ride-sharing and ride-hailing. The self-driving Fusion was tested in California, Arizona, and at a 23 acre simulated urban environment at the University of Michigan. Ford also decided to start testing the car in Europe because of the difference in traffic laws and road layout. By 2018, Ford thinks its employees will be able to ride around Ford campus in its autonomous vehicles!