Volvo Announces Production-Viable Autonomous Car Tech - Motor Authority
ALSO SEE: Volvo Sets Pricing On All-New 2016 XC90. Volvo claims its upgraded Autopilot system is a "complete, production-viable autonomous drive system. " The company plans to put it into 100 test vehicles—which will be driven by actual customers in and around Gothenburg—by 2017. Like other autonomous systems, Autopilot relies on an array of sensors to allow a car to orient itself. Those include a windshield-mounted camera and radar unit shared with the 2016 XC90 , but beyond that there are enough cameras and scanners to make the NSA blush. A 360-degree sensor sweep is possible thanks to four additional radar units—two in each bumper—cameras at each of the four corners of the car, a trifocal camera in the windshield, ultrasonic sensors, and a front-mounted laser scanner. This provides the cars with real-time traffic information, and allows authorities to tell drivers to shut down the autonomous systems in case of safety issues. Volvo says the system can handle everything from heavy traffic to emergency situations, but it isn't designed to work in inclement weather. Initially, the system will only be tested on roads with no oncoming traffic, cyclists, or pedestrians, Volvo says. Source: www.motorauthority.com
