Autonomous Driving: A Dream in the Making

Text by Zi Jun Photos by Zi Jun & VCG Translation by Leo

Autonomous Driving: A Dream in the Making

Text by Zi Jun Photos by Zi Jun & VCG Translation by Leo

Do you wish you could read a bock or catch up on some sleep…while driving? When autonomous driving takes off, you’ll find yourself being able to do whatever you like while on the road as if you were merely a passenger. Built-in onboard ultra-high speed computers and sensors are replacing manually driven cars and can easily take you wherever you wish to go.

Autonomous (also called self-driving, driverless or robotic) cars are vehicles that drive themselves through computerised control of their steering, speed, braking etc. using a set of sensors and cameras, which are able to map nearby features, spot road edges and lane markings, read signs and traffic lights, and identify pedestrians. Today, a host of players are flexing their muscles in this field. These include well-established carmakers (Volvo, Lexus, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, GM, Ford, Nissan, etc.), tier-one auto parts suppliers (Bosch, Continental, Delphi, Mobileye, etc.), and IT companies (Google, Apple, Nokia, etc.). Some are still bent on research and development, while others are busy working on road tests.

In 2016, more permits were issued for selfdriving car testing than in any previous year. By8th December 2016, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) had issued 20 such permits, according to the DMV's official website.

It has been proven that autonomous cars can work far better than human drivers in terms of operational timeliness, accuracy and safety. Besides, they are also free from human errors. The benefits may include significant reduction in traffic accident casualties and related costs, reduced fuel consumption and less time spent commuting through congestion, higher speeds, shorter distance between vehicles, and more effective choices of routes.

A certain degree of autonomous driving is already possible with some models fitted with a variety of smart driver-assist systems. However, self-driving technology is subject to various ethical, moral, legal and regulatory constraints as well as bottlenecks in hardware and software.

無人駕駛，夢想照進現實

邊開車邊看小說？沒關系！開車的時候趁機補個眠？可以! 當無人駕駛汽車真的走入我們生活之后，相信這些都不是問題，因為坐在駕駛座位的你，只是一個乘客而已。而超高速車載電腦和各種傳感器則充當著“老司機”的角色，輕松把你送到目的地。

無人駕駛汽車，不是簡單的自動駕駛，而是利用車載傳感器或攝像頭來感知車輛周圍環境，并根據感知所獲得的道路、車輛位置和障礙物信息，智能自主地控制車輛的轉向和速度。當前，全球包括整車企業（沃爾沃、雷克薩斯、奧迪、寶馬、奔馳、通用、福特、日產等）、一級零部件供應商（博世、大陸、德爾福、Mobileye等）和IT企業（谷歌、蘋果、諾基亞等）在內的諸多公司，都在潛心研究開發及上路測試無人駕駛汽車技術。

在2016年，美國加州政府頒布的無人駕駛汽車測試牌照數量比往年更多。截至 2016 年 12月 8 日加州交管局官網顯示的信息，共有20家公司拿到加州交管局頒發的自動駕駛測試牌照。

無人駕駛技術已經被充分證實，它在操作時效性、精確性和安全性等方面相比人類駕駛具有無比的優越性，而且不會出現人為操作失誤的情況。每年能大幅減少全球交通事故人員傷亡和節省巨額的相關費用。此外，無人駕駛汽車還會通過緩解擁堵、提高車速、縮小車距以及選擇更有效路線來減少通勤所耗時間和能源。

盡管目前市面上售賣的車型，都裝備了各種智能駕駛輔助系統，已經能在一定程度上實現自動駕駛了。但其實除了軟硬件技術研發方面的瓶頸外，自動駕駛的最終實現，還受到很多倫理和社會道德因素、法律法規因素的制約。

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD

無人駕駛領域的最新進展

Ford launched second generation self-driving Fusion Hybrid

福特：將推出第二代Fusion自動駕駛車輛

So far, Ford has finished building a test fleet of 30 self-driving Ford Fusion Hybrid sedans and says it will triple that fleet to 90 by the end of 2017. Insiders revealed that Ford will soon debut an upgraded version of the first Fusion Hybrid autonomous research vehicle, which hit the streets three years ago. The new version, built from all-new parts and components, will be equipped with more advanced sensors, making it more compact and powerful in detection than its predecessor.

Hyundai showcased a fully autonomous version of Ioniq

現代：發布自動駕駛款Ioniq

Hyundai showed off a fully autonomous version of Ioniq at Los Angeles Auto Show in 2016. The concept car is able to see what's going on around through front radar sensors and the Smart Cruise Control radar sensor. It can also determine the precise location of the vehicle, road grade/ curvature, lane width and direction via a roofmounted GPS antenna.

Google and Fiat Chrysler launched a brand new driverless vehicle

谷歌：聯手FCA發布自動駕駛車

Google and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) jointly launched a selfdriving vehicle system based on the all-new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The biggest change of the minivan, after being worked by Google, is the suite of sensors deployed all over the car (including at the rear bumper, front fenders and roof). When outfitted with the sensor system and Google's proprietary software, the minivan can receive feedback from the outside environment and drive itself.

Delphi and Mobileye demoed their latest self-driving technology

德爾福：聯合Mobileye展出最新自動駕駛技術

Mobileye and its partner Delphi showcased their automated driving system called Centralized Sensing Localization and Planning (CSLP) at the yearly event CES in Las Vegas. Their test vehicle drove 10km (6.2 miles) of combined highway and urban roads. The system is dubbed as the first turnkey, fully integrated automated driving solution with an industry-leading perception system and computing platform. The completed version of CSLP is expected to be released in 2019.

Volkswagen presented I.D. concept car

大眾：將展出概念車“I.D.”

Volkswagen unveiled a brand-new I.D. family model, premiered at the Paris Motor Show in 2016, at the North American International Auto Show held in Detroit during Jan. 8-22, 2017. The concept car, built off Volkswagen's Modular Electric Drive kit (MEB), has its electric motor mounted in the rear and comes with a fully autonomous mode (“I.D. Pilot”). To enter the self-driving mode, a driver will push down on the VW logo to make the retractable steering wheel vanish into the dashboard. With that, scanners, sensors and cameras will take over, completely freeing up the driver's hands. The car can take up to seven people and its production version is expected to come in 2019.

Mercedes-Benz showcased its CASE strategy for future mobility

奔馳：將展示未來電動汽車智能化戰略

Mercedes-Benz showed off its new corporate strategy CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Service and Electric Drive) at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. Under the banner of CASE, Mercedes-Benz presented the Generation EQ and the Vision Van on the same stage for the first time. The Generation EQ has advanced autonomous driving features and OLED displays. The Vision Van, an all-electric delivery van, also features self-driving technology plus two rooftop delivery drones, which ensure extra delivery efficiency.

Honda unveiled NeuV concept car fitted with an “emotion engine”

本田：將展出搭載“情感引擎”自動駕駛概念車

Honda disclosed some teaser shots of its latest concept autonomous EV commuter vehicle in December 2016. The concept car, dubbed the NeuV, is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) called “emotion engine”, which can sense a driver's emotions and recognise his or her driving habits and physical conditions through a host of sensors and cameras, as well as carry on a conversation via a smart operating system.