Google carries out a test drive for automobile driving cars for part of the press

Google will proceed with development with a view to commencing marketing in 2017Automatic driving caralreadyPractical level even in urban areas with complicated traffic conditions alreadyIt has become clear that it has reached. It is an automatic driving car that has reached a considerably high level of completion, but the fact that a test ride was carried out for some American press reporters, with the city center of Google's headquarters located at the venue as the venue Was revealed.

I took a ride in Google's self-driving car | The Verge
http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/14/5716468/i-took-a-ride-in-a-self-driving-car

Behind the wheel: a look inside Google's self-driving cars | The Verge
http://www.theverge.com/google/2014/5/14/5714602/photos-inside-googles-self-driving-cars

The base of Google's automatic driving car is based on the North American specification LexusRX 450 his. Equipment necessary for automatic operation has been added to a vehicle equipped with a hybrid system that combines a gasoline engine and a motor. In addition to this, we also own developed vehicles based on Prius.


First of all, when I enter the car, the interior is a very general finish, and I do not feel any discomfort in particular. It seems that the same leather seat and wood panel as the base Lexus RX 450h are left intact.


However, there are things in the center console that are not found in ordinary cars ....


This switch installed on the side of the driver's seat and just under the shift lever was a switch to restore control of the car body to human beings in the event of any failure.


During the test ride, Google staff was sitting in the driver 's seat and the press took a tour of the actual running from the other seat. When the staff directs the automatic driving car from the parking lot to the road, the woman's voice telling that the car is running in the automatic driving mode flows with the chime sound inside the car.


According to The Verge reporter, the ride was very gentle and smooth. The automatic driving car was running along the flow along the urban area where a general car runs, not inside the research site, but all actions that said to change the lane, turn the intersection, etc. were all smooth, It looked like he was on the side of the instructor of the car school, "he says.

Every year in the United States, the lives of 33,000 people are lost due to traffic accidents, which is the most common cause of death in the age range from 4 to 34 years old. In addition, it is thought that the traffic accident tends to increase even in the proportion of the cause of death in all human beings.

The top three causes of such traffic accidents are "influence of alcohol and drug", "overspeed", "overlooked by mobile phone, etc.", cause of human error occupies 90% of the total It is. Google stated its significance as automatic driving technology may be able to increase the safety on the road by reducing the risk of such human error.

Camera for object recognition attached to the upper part of the car body. For the base, we analyze the distance to the object and the nature of the object using laser lightLIDAR(Rider) technology is used, and constantly rotating while grasping the surrounding situation. It was an expensive system that was said to be "about 7 million yen for one vehicle" at that time two years ago, but when it is put into practical use, cost reduction by mass production is expected.


Diagonally in front of the driver, a camera for forward confirmation attached to the position of the rearview mirror. The images captured with this camera are also used for analysis of the LIDAR system and automatic operation by computer is realized.


The radar unit for forward confirmation attached in place of the manufacturer emblem is used to sense what is present in front of the body and its moving speed.


Such an automatic driving system "looking" The outside world of the car is like this. Since this video was previously published, there is a possibility that it is being updated even now, but it is possible to grasp the approximate concept.

Google Self-Driving Car on City Streets - YouTube


The running car automatically keeps grasping the surrounding situation and information is sent to the computer. Based on that information, the computer recognizes the road condition, the presence of pedestrians and bicycles, the presence of obstacles, the distance to the object, and makes judgments about the behavior of the vehicle. Although Google cars have been involved in accidents so far, they are all not attributable to software, they are due to human error due to the other party, including the rear collision, Google Has been announced.

Apart from the conspicuous LIDAR system attached to the top, it is Google's automatic driving car which is almost common with the commercially available Lexus RX 450h, but on all sides of the car body it is called "self-driving car" An indication to inform the surrounding drivers of their existence is being made.


The real thing of the automatic driving car which is displayed near from Google headquarters. Everyone can actually see the real thing, but I can not test drive yet.


If there is a weak point in an automatic driving car, it is said that it is rainy. The falling raindrops may lower the recognition ability of computers, and it is said that verification under the condition of rain and snow is not carried out at the present time. But regarding such a situation, Google Chris Armson, who is advancing the project for automatic driving cars by Google, "There are various subjects, but what matters is only what is going to be challenged in which field" I am enthusiastic about solving future problems.

Google is continuing development with a view to releasing an automatic driving car in 2017. Although the concrete plans and contract contents with automobile manufacturers are still not transmitted yet, in the case of a hybrid vehicle or a vehicle based on EV (electric vehicle) which is said to have high affinity with automatic driving It is considered to be. Regarding automatic driving technologyVolvoYaNissanIt is known that the experiment is proceeding and it can be said that the fact that automated driving vehicles actually run in the town in the near future has become quite reality.