Story by Andy Jensen
You’ve seen the headlines about self-driving cars. Most experts agree they’ll be a huge game-changer. Not only will you be able to kick back and relax on your commute and let your car do the work, but they could cut car accidents, end drunk driving and prevent traffic jams. Are you sold yet? The only problem is, they’re not here yet. As it turns out, it’s not easy to get self-driving cars ready for the general public, even with the auto industry investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the technology.
To understand why it’s taking so long, you need to understand how complicated self-driving cars are. Think about the last time you stepped on the brakes at the last minute or swerved into another lane to avoid hitting someone. Self-driving cars need state-of-the-art technology and thousands of hours of practice to handle traffic, weather conditions, distracted drivers, unpredictable bicyclists, jaywalking pedestrians and so much more. Just check out this graphic to understand all the components that need to work together to replace a driver, including lidar sensors, GPS, ultrasonic sensors, cameras, radar sensors and a central computer.
More on Self-Driving/Autonomous Cars
Opinion: Will Self-Driving Cars Eventually Repossess Themselves?
Tech: Autonomous Vehicles Are Going To Need A New Brain
News: Autonomous Driving Evolves in Vegas
