Torc Technologies, which collaborated with Virginia Tech on an autonomous Ford Escape Hybrid that placed third in DARPA's Urban Grand Challenge, has started selling a version of its self-driving creation for researchers.
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Imagine someone is doing 75 down the highway....
Suddenly there's a huge car pile-up like 50 yards away.... Next thing the car's Microsoft message pops-up.
"ATTENTION DRIVER: Your breaks have failed to respond!
Your input is required: 1) Ignore, 2) Restart, 3) Abort, 4) Retry..."
"System has failed to respond!
1) Continue waiting, 2) Abort, 3) Ignore"
(Blue Screen)
"FAULT IN EXCEPTION FF00F00:F00F00F"
(Car continues on at same speed pending a restart.)
These vehicles will always obey the road rules, drive politely and safely. The machine won't get tired or distracted, or drink alcohol or take drugs. You won't need a parking space since the vehicle can drop you at work and then drive itself home. Old people who have lost their licence due to age will want one to retain their mobility.
Vehicle accident rates will plummet because the cars can be fixed with software updates whereas drivers can't. Since vehicle accident rates drop and these vehicles drive politely, there will need to less (and eventually none) traffic enforcement requirements, freeing police to perform other roles. Emergency wards will be relieved of pressure as accident rates drop freeing resources for other medical care.
The vehicle will always drive efficiently so fuel costs will be minimised. wear and tear will be minimised, services can be automatic, same as refilling the vehicle's fuel.
The old, drunk, and infirmed and just plain tired can now have full mobility without the risks of accidents. This has so many benefits that the public should be screaming for it. Personnaly I can't wait. Most people I talk to want one.
Best of all, if the car is driving though the suburbs and it hits a child running out into the street, you won't be blamed because you weren't driving. (Hey maybe they will finally find the parants responsible for neglect instead of blaming drivers).
- by TORC_Technologies June 18, 2008 6:33 AM PDT
- There are a few details TORC wants to clear up to avoid confusion -- the ByWire XGV is a drive-by-wire Ford Escape Hybrid, but not autonomous. TORC does have a product called the AutonoNav, which is an autonomous navigation system that can be added as an option, but is not part of the ByWire XGV base package.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(8 Comments)The platform is ideal for universities and unmanned systems developers, allowing them to focus on higher level autonomy and perception challenges. They can focus on pushing autonomy further, and not waste valuable time and resources converting vehicles or worrying about details such as emergency stop controls. The ByWire XGV provides an ideal system for unmanned research and development programs.
The handheld "sight-and-click" operator control unit referred to with regards to controlling the iRobot PackBot is called the WaySight (not AutonoNav), and is a portable JAUS-interoperable OCU.
Visit http://www.torctech.com for full details on the ByWire XGV drive-by-wire Ford Escape Hybrid, SafeStop wireless emergency stop system, AutonoNav autonomous navigation system, WaySight handheld ?sight-and-click? OCU, and ByWire rapid drive-by-wire conversion.