Sensors and onboard computers help self-driving cars see, plan and act. With NVIDIA DRIVE Mapping software, they can also make sure vehicles stay on the right path. DRIVE Mapping allows vehicles to navigate anywhere in the world. It uses maps from partners such as Baidu, HERE, TomTom, NavInfo and Zenrin to localize vehicles to high-definition maps with unprecedented breadth and accuracy. HD maps are a vital component to self-driving technology. They make it possible for driverless vehicles to know precisely where they are on the road, which lane they’re in and where they can safely go. Using the sensors and compute of vehicle fleets on the road, NVIDIA is providing its many partners the ability to update these HD maps and keep them fresh. Staying Up to Speed Roads are constantly changing. Consider your daily commute. Construction zones can pop up, accidents can occur, or weather can affect road conditions — all of which can cause lane closures or other obstructions to a routine drive. HD maps provide highly detailed information about commonly traveled roadways. But without constant updates, they can’t account for these spontaneous changes. With DRIVE Mapping, vehicles can help keep these maps up to date, improving safety and efficiency. By taking in sensor data and processing it on the high-performance DRIVE platform, DRIVE MapStream facilitates the update of cloud-based HD maps from NVIDIA mapping partners, such as HERE and TomTom. “HERE and NVIDIA have collaborated to work seamlessly with HERE’s HD Live Map for the critical features of localization and keeping the HD Live Map fresh through vehicle sensor data,” said Matt Preyss, product marketing manager for Autonomous Driving at HERE. Perception software detects semantic landmarks, like traffic lights, signs or barriers, in the vehicle’s environment to compare with those from the HD mapping provider. Using DRIVE MapStream, that data is uploaded to the cloud, updating the map with any new or changed features on the roadway. Autonomous vehicles can then access up-to-date maps, allowing them to navigate the path ahead. “OEMs and Tier 1’s can use the NVIDIA DRIVE system to rapidly deploy highway automated driving features in their cars with TomTom’s up-to-date HD maps,” said Frans de Rooij, regional director of Product Management at TomTom. Finding New Roads Though mapping providers have extensive coverage around the world, some less-frequented roads, like neighborhood streets and driveways, may not make it on an HD map. By using similar processes as described above — along with data filtering, fusion and processing using DRIVE MapServices in the cloud — DRIVE Mapping can help fill in the gaps. Perception software on the NVIDIA DRIVE platform detects semantic landmarks based on sensor data from vehicles driving within the new mapping territory. This data is then fused with information from previous drives to build the map called MyRoute. Car manufacturers and individuals can use this functionality to create personalized maps. The software can track a user’s commonly traveled route, like their daily commute or school carpool routine, and create an individualized map. MyRoute then enables a vehicle to drive this path door-to-door, navigating driveways and parking lots for the utmost convenience and efficiency. DRIVE Mapping software is applicable anywhere in the world and an open platform: We welcome mapping providers and manufacturers to join the DRIVE platform ecosystem. Learn more here . Source: blogs.nvidia.com Read the full article

The UK’s first full-sized bus with driverless technology is being trialled by one of the UK’s biggest transport firms. Stagecoach said the vehicle – developed in partnership with bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and technology company Fusion Processing – will use autonomous functions to move around a depot in Manchester. The system uses multiple sensors such as radar, optical cameras and ultrasound to plan a path for the vehicle while detecting and avoiding objects. The equipment is installed on an 11.5-metre ADL Enviro200 bus, which is now able to operate autonomously within Sharston depot. It’s hoped this could provide future benefits during passenger journeys, such as providing a warning when a cyclist or pedestrian may be in a blind spot. Existing rules mean a driver must remain on board the bus at all times during the trial, although the UK is in the process of updating its regulations around driverless vehicles. The software being used in Manchester will form the basis of another pilot scheme next year. This involves five autonomous buses transporting passengers between Edinburgh and Fife across the Forth Road Bridge Corridor. Stagecoach chief executive Martin Griffiths said: “Stagecoach was the original transport disruptor, trying new things and breaking new ground, and that has never changed. “This is an exciting project to trial autonomous technology on a full-sized bus for the first time in the UK. “Our employees are the beating heart of our business and I believe that will remain the case, but the world is changing fast, particularly where new technology is involved, and it’s our job to lead the way in looking at ways to continually progress and improve our operations for the good of the many people who use our bus services every day.” Source: First full-sized driverless bus trial in UK Read the full article

The first step towards driverless vehicles becoming a reality has been unveiled by Bosch with its self-driving shuttle bus of the future. The self-driving car is coming. But before it arrives, driverless shuttles could take to Australian roads. German company Bosch has made a name for itself in recent years for fusing Internet of Technology and appliances to created connected devices for the home. Bosch has also been on the coalface of developing connected city and transportation technology - including the reveal of the first driverless shuttle. The concept shuttle vehicle was revealed at the annual Consumer Technology Association CES trade show in Las Vegas earlier this year. Forget crammed trams, buses and train - these autonomous ridesharing vehicles are aimed at user comfort. The concept included four, plush cushioned seats each equipped with infotainment tablets all housed in a sleek steel and glass casing. Soon, Bosch hopes to have working prototypes ready for users to try, board of management member Dr. Markus Heyn said. "This will pay into our vision of mobility that is as emissions-free, accident-free, and stress-free as possible," he said. Bosch is taking a total approach to these driverless shuttles, including software and innovation for reservations, sharing and connectivity platforms as well as parking and recharging services. Dr Heyn said the company had ambitions to roll out their innovations in all vehicles of the future. “In the future, every vehicle on the road will make use of Bosch digital services. We will consolidate them into a smart, seamlessly connected ecosystem,” he said. Bosch is currently testing their autonomous ride-sharing technology in San Jose, California in Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles. It is hoped this will advance to test rides in autonomous shuttles in the near future. Please Note: Leave a comment below to ask our expert editors anything related to the article you have just read. Let's start a personal and meaningful conversation! Source: Bosch launches driverless electric shuttles Read the full article

【Summary】A new startup has emerged from stealth today called Designated Driver. The company offers roadside assistance to self-driving vehicles by using a remote teleoperator that is able to control a vehicle from miles away. In 1997, General Motors introduced OnStar, a cellular communications system allowing a driver to connect to a human operator at the touch of a button for immediate roadside assistance. Using OnStar, drivers of GM vehicles can summon for help in the event of a flat tire or mechanical issue. OnStar can also summon emergency responders, by sharing a vehicle's location automatically in the event of an accident. While this system works well for a human-controlled car, in the future when autonomous vehicles are on the road without human drivers, what would happen if the vehicle ran into a problem, such as a unexpected road closure or disabled vehicle blocking a lane? A new startup has emerged called Designated Driver with a solution for situations like this. The company offers roadside assistance for self-driving vehicles, using a remote teleoperator that is able to "drive" the vehicle from miles away. To operate the car remotely, Designated Driver built a complete "remote driver" workstation. Together with additional hardware and software installed on the vehicle, it allows a human operator to remotely take control of a driverless vehicle when needed. Designated Driver's setup for the remote operation resembles a driving video game, complete with multiple HD monitors showing a live camera feed from the vehicle, a steering wheel, brake pedal and gear selector and even a turn signal switch, which actuates the same vehicle controls as a driver behind the wheel. This system interfaces with a vehicle over cellular networks. The technology also includes a link to the vehicle for communicate with passengers. "The role of a teleoperator is an extension of existing autonomous driving technology." said Manuela Papadopol, CEO of Designated Driver. The company's team is comprised of automotive experts with expertise in embedded automotive software, autonomous and robotic systems. Designated Driver's executives have decades of experience in complex automotive technology. Papadopol and CTO Walter Sullivan both worked at Microsoft's automotive division and at embedded automotive software company Elektrobit, working with global automakers BMW, Daimler, Ford, the VW Group and others. Papadopol was recognized with the Microsoft Gold Star Award for her work on embedded automotive systems. Designated Driver is addressing an important need as self-driving vehicles are nearing a commercial launch for the first time—how to navigate through an unexpected situation such as a road closure, mechanical issue, flat tire, or situations that a self-driving vehicle's software cannot handle. "The market need for Designated Driver is truly significant as it will help facilitate adoption of autonomous vehicles," said Bobby Hambrick, founder and CTO, AutonomouStuff, a company well-known in Silicon Valley for outfitting production vehicles with self-driving technology. "Remote control provides riders with the assurance that they will arrive at their destination even if there is a technical issue with their autonomous vehicle, and we see it as required functionality for all self-driving vehicles." How it Works FutureCar spoke with Designated Driver CTO Walter Sullivan and he explained a bit more about how the technology works. "Part of our solution is a in-vehicle software kit." he said. The remote operator system is linked to the vehicle's driver controls via a dedicated cellular network, similar to how a modern vehicle's infortainment system connects to the internet to run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto apps in a vehicle. Designated Driver's in-vehicle kit includes four individual cameras, which provides complete 360 degree coverage around a vehicle. The system transfers a live feed from cameras to a trained remote operator, giving the operator a live view of the vehicle surroundings just like if they were sitting in the driver's seat. The setup can work with any vehicle that comes with a by-wire controller module for steering, acceleration, braking and shifting. The Lincoln MKZ is one model that utilizes these type of controllers. Therefore, it has become a popular vehicle for developers and companies working on autonomous driving. "The car itself does not have to have any autonomous systems on it." Sullivan explained. Instead, hardware is added to a compatible vehicle to allow for remote operation. Since it works over cellular networks, Designated Driver developed a separate cellular module to ensure that communication with a vehicle is never lost for added safety. Sullivan said the module contains four individual SIMM devices, so if the connected is dropped, one of the other connections, or networks can be automatically activated. This ensures a stable connection to the vehicle at all times. This module can be expanded to use up to eight SIMM devices. "Each one could in theory be on its own carrier." Sullivan explained. "We can select the carrier providing the best connectivity for each geographical location a self driving vehicle might operate in. This adds some robustness and redundancy for safety." Sullivan said the heart of the system is a in-vehicle computing module developed in-house by Designated Driver, which he said contains most of the company's unique IP. The computing module allows a person to virtually "drive" a vehicle from hundreds of miles away as if they were physically present. The module is essentially an industrial grade computer. This module processes the video feeds from the cameras and takes commands from the remote operator and translates it into data the vehicle can understand. This allows for the manipulation of a vehicle's steering, braking and acceleration and shifting remotely via a cellular network. In the future when people might be shuttled around in fleets of autonomous vehicles, a remote operator may provide some peace of mind for passengers. Just knowing that a human can be summoned to safely guide the vehicle in case of an unexpected situation might reassure people who don't fully trust "robo-cars" at the moment. "Humans trust other humans." said Papadopol. Teleoperations for Car-Sharing Services Designated Driver's system can also be used in mobility services offered by car-sharing companies such as Turo and others. The company's teleoperator solution might be used by to bring vehicles to the location of the next customer using a remote operator. "A driver may rent a car for an hour and park it in another part of the city. The challenges are that the place in the city that those cars are parked are not necessarily the best places to pick up the next customer." Sullivan said. He said that teleoperators can help maximize the use of each vehicle that's part of a ride-sharing network. "A remote operator can repositionion those vehicle for better utilization." Automakers are already working on their own car-sharing services as a way to generate additional revenue, as personal car ownership is expected to decline. These services might benefit from using teleoperators to help manage and monitor their fleets. For example, Mercedes Benz and BMW recently established a partnership to share vehicles as part of a new mobility service called "Your Now." The new joint venture is geared towards future urban mobility, where customers will to able to get around using a seamlessly connected mobility ecosystem that combines car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking and EV charging all from a single smartphone app. Sullivan said that Designated Driver is in discussions with a ride-sharing company to integrate its technology, although he declined to name any companies at this early stage. Teleoperations has many potential applications outside of the automotive industry. The technology can be used in dangerous mining operations, agriculture, and fire and police departments, in situations or locations where it's too dangerous for a human to drive. There are also applications in the trucking industry. When connected to a driver monitoring system, the technology can also be used to remotely take control of a vehicle if a driver monitoring system detects driver fatigue. This has possible applications for long-haul trucks, to monitor that a driver is alert with their eyes on the road to increase safety. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that up to 100,000 motor vehicle accidents annually can be traced to drivers who actually doze off behind the wheel of their vehicles. According to the NHTSA, in 2015 over 72,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers. These crashes led to 41,000 injuries and more than 800 deaths. Partnership with Autonomous Stuff To integrate its technology in self-driving vehicles, Designated Driver announced that its first customer is AutonomouStuff. "AutonomouStuff has outfitted more vehicles for self-driving driving than any other company", Sullivan said. The company has become the go-to company for many companies that need to quickly set up a vehicle to drive autonomously. "We have designed Designated Driver to be best in class, and are especially proud to be working with AutonomouStuff, which provides automakers and suppliers the most cutting-edge solutions for robotics and autonomy." said Papadopol. When the company was founded, AutonomouStuff's primary goal was to significantly reduce the development time of self-driving vehicles, by offering a complete add-on kit to support self-driving. Founder and CEO of AutonomouStuff Bobby Hambrick, was one of the first to develop and bring automated vehicles to market. Hambrick also serves as an advisor to Designated Driver. A self-driving vehicle developed by AutonomouStuff for Baidu's Apollo open autonomous driving platform. In the future, teleoperator services may be included as an option add-on service when AutonomouStuff outfits a vehicle for self-driving. AutonomouStuff will be the distribution channel for Designated Driver's teleoperations technology. "In the future when there are fleets of thousands of autonomous vehicles roaming city streets, there will probably be companies running teleoperation centers for them." Sullivan said. He said that Designated Driver is developing a training program for its future remote vehicle operators. These teleoperation centers might function like secure data centers, offering cost effectiveness for remote teleoperations, as well as keeping the connection between the vehicle and remote operator completely secure. Designated Driver is aiming to become a leading company supplying the hardware and software solutions that vehicles and autonomous vehicle teleoperators will use, with a strong focus on functional safety. Designated Driver is demonstrating its solution in a test vehicle during the annual NVIDIA GTC , taking place this week in San Jose, CA. The company will have a test car on-site in San Jose that will be driven by a remote operator at Designated Driver's headquarters 650 miles away in Portland, Oregon. Source: A New Startup Aims to be a ‘Designated Driver' for Autonomous Vehicles in Need of Assistance Read the full article

Kroger is to introduce self-driving cars at two of its Houston stores, allowing grocery orders to be delivered to homes without a driver following thousands of successful deliveries in a trial in Arizona. It will see the service offered at Houston's South Post Oak Road and Buffalo Speedway stores, Fox News reported. The Cincinatti-based supermarket chain has teamed up with Nuro, a Silicon Valley startup founded in in 2016 by two engineers who worked on self-driving cars at Google . Supermarket chain Kroger is to introduce self-driving cars made by Silicon Valley startup Nuro at two of its Houston stores, allowing grocery orders to be placed online and delivered to homes without a driver Supermarket chain Kroger is to introduce self-driving cars made by Silicon Valley startup Nuro at two of its Houston stores, allowing grocery orders to be placed online and delivered to homes without a driver The firms first worked with each other in a 2018 trial in Scottsdale, Arizona, in which more than 2,000 grocery deliveries were made. Nuro now aims to roll out the unmanned driverless vehicle, the R1, in Texas within the next few weeks. People in zip codes 77401, 77096, 77005 and 77025 can access the service for same-day and next-day deliveries. The fully electric R1 is a 'Level Four' fully autonomous vehicle, meaning it does not require human instruction for most situations, relying instead on high-definition mapping. It navigates the roads using self-driving sensors including cameras, radars, and a spinning 'lidar' unit on its roof. Co-founder and president of the company Dave Ferguson said that the deliveries would initially be made with self-driving Toyota Prius vehicles, with safety drivers on board. The move comes following a successful trial in Arizona, which was started in 2018. It has reportedly seen thousands of deliveries made already The move comes following a successful trial in Arizona, which was started in 2018. It has reportedly seen thousands of deliveries made already Co-founder and president of the company Dave Ferguson said that the deliveries would initially be made with self-driving Toyota Prius vehicles, with safety drivers on board Co-founder and president of the company Dave Ferguson said that the deliveries would initially be made with self-driving Toyota Prius vehicles, with safety drivers on board 'These are passenger vehicles just like regular Priuses that we've added sensing and computing to so they can drive themselves,' he said. Last year's trial run received praise from Arizona resident Shannon Baggett. 'It was very cool to see it pull up. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be,' Baggett said. 'I told my husband, "We just got our groceries delivered by a robot,"' she added But other residents said they're not ready for the change. Last year's trial run received praise from Arizona resident Shannon Baggett. 'It was very cool to see it pull up. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be,' Baggett said. She added: 'I told my husband, "We just got our groceries delivered by a robot"' Last year's trial run received praise from Arizona resident Shannon Baggett. 'It was very cool to see it pull up. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be,' Baggett said. She added: 'I told my husband, "We just got our groceries delivered by a robot"' 'I just don't think we are there yet to have a driverless car,' local resident John Jones said to ABC13. Customers can place orders from the markets' website or app for a $5.95 fee. Nuro will expand the number of cars fitted with self-driving hardware and software to about 50, according to Verge. It will operate in California, Arizona, and Texas with safety drivers behind the wheel. WHAT ARE THE SIX LEVELS OF SELF-DRIVING AUTOMATION? Level Zero - The full-time performance by the human driver of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even when enhanced by warning or intervention systems. Level One – A small amount of control is accomplished by the system such as adaptive braking if a car gets too close. Level Two – The system can control the speed and direction of the car allowing the driver to take their hands off temporarily, but they have to monitor the road at all times and be ready to take over. Level Three – The driver does not have to monitor the system at all times in some specific cases like on high ways but must be ready to resume control if the system requests. Level Four – The system can cope will all situations automatically within defined use but it may not be able to cope will all weather or road conditions. System will rely on high definition mapping. Level Five – Full automation. System can cope with all weather, traffic and lighting conditions. It can go anywhere, at any time in any conditions. Tesla's Model 3 Sedan - one of the world's most advanced road-legal cars with autonomous elements - currently operates at Level Two autonomy. It is equipped for Level Three autonomy, which may be introduced in a future software update Tesla's Model 3 Sedan - one of the world's most advanced road-legal cars with autonomous elements - currently operates at Level Two autonomy. It is equipped for Level Three autonomy, which may be introduced in a future software update. Source: Kroger to introduce self-driving cars at two of its Houston stores, allowing groceries to be taken to homes WITHOUT a driver after thousands of successful deliveries in Arizona trial Read the full article

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the United States has a tradition of betting on crazy ideas. This week, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) showcased projects that are part of a new five-year, $2 billion plan to foster the next round of out-there concepts that will bring about new advances in AI. These include efforts to give machines common sense; to have them learn faster, using less data; and to create chips that reconfigure themselves to unlock new AI capabilities. Speaking at the event, Michael Kratsios, deputy assistant to the president for technology policy at the White House, said the agency’s efforts are a key part of the government’s plan to stay ahead in AI. “This administration supports DARPA’s commitment, and shares its intense interest in developing and applying artificial intelligence,” Kratsios said. President Trump signed an executive order last month to launch the US government’s AI strategy, called the American AI Initiative. Kratsios, who is also the government’s deputy chief technology officer, has been the driving force behind White House strategy on AI. The American AI Initiative calls for more funding and will make data and computing resources available to AI researchers. “DARPA has a long history of making early investments in fundamental research that has had amazing benefits,” Kratsios said. “ is building on this success in artificial-intelligence research.” Since DARPA’s inception in 1957, it’s had something of a mixed track record, with many projects failing to deliver big breakthroughs. But the agency has had some notable successes. In the ’60s, it developed a networking technology that eventually evolved into the internet. More recently, it funded a personal-assistant project that led to Siri, the AI helper acquired by Apple in 2011. But many of the algorithms now considered AI were developed many years ago, and they are fundamentally limited. “We Continue reading - The out-there AI ideas designed to keep the US ahead of China Read the full article

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the United States has a tradition of betting on crazy ideas. This week, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) showcased projects that are part of a new five-year, $2 billion plan to foster the next round of out-there concepts that will bring about new advances in AI. These include efforts to give machines common sense; to have them learn faster, using less data; and to create chips that reconfigure themselves to unlock new AI capabilities. Speaking at the event, Michael Kratsios, deputy assistant to the president for technology policy at the White House, said the agency’s efforts are a key part of the government’s plan to stay ahead in AI. “This administration supports DARPA’s commitment, and shares its intense interest in developing and applying artificial intelligence,” Kratsios said. President Trump signed an executive order last month to launch the US government’s AI strategy, called the American AI Initiative. Kratsios, who is also the government’s deputy chief technology officer, has been the driving force behind White House strategy on AI. The American AI Initiative calls for more funding and will make data and computing resources available to AI researchers. “DARPA has a long history of making early investments in fundamental research that has had amazing benefits,” Kratsios said. “ is building on this success in artificial-intelligence research.” Since DARPA’s inception in 1957, it’s had something of a mixed track record, with many projects failing to deliver big breakthroughs. But the agency has had some notable successes. In the ’60s, it developed a networking technology that eventually evolved into the internet. More recently, it funded a personal-assistant project that led to Siri, the AI helper acquired by Apple in 2011. But many of the algorithms now considered AI were developed many years ago, and they are fundamentally limited. “We Continue reading - The out-there AI ideas designed to keep the US ahead of China Read the full article