We have always fantasized about vehicles that can be driven without any human intervention. The time has come now that we see such vehicles into being. But first, we will try and understand the concept of what is a self-driven car and we will even look at some of the more aspects as well.
What is a self-driving car or autonomous car? A self-driving vehicle is one that does not need human intervention. It senses the surrounding environment and navigates accordingly. As of now, there are six levels (0 to 5) of driving automation that exist, and we shall discuss each of these in brief:
Level 0: No Automation
As the name suggests, complete control lies with the driver. He or she manually controls the car and performs all driving tasks such as braking, steering, acceleration, gear shifting, etc).
Level 1: Driver Assistance
There is one automated system that sometimes is also referred to as a single automated system. An example of a car running on driver’s assistance is keeping a track of speed through cruise control.
Level 2: Partial Automation
Here, the driver has the option to either monitor all the driving tasks on their own or let the vehicle perform some tasks such as acceleration and steering. The option of whether to choose to let the car ride automatically or drive manually lies with the driver.
Level 3: Automation Based On Condition
At this level, the car can detect the surrounding environment and based on these conditions tasks are performed. On the basis of the environment, the car can still perform the majority of the tasks. But even at this level, human involvement is needed.
Level 4: High Automation
Again, humans can still take over the automation process. But here, the vehicle can perform more automated tasks. Though it performs these tasks under special circumstances, here Geo-fencing may also be required.
Level 5: Full Automation
As is evident from the name, here, the car is capable of performing all the driving tasks on its own. It does not require any human intervention and performs all tasks under any condition.
Features of Self-driven Cars
Now that you know what a self-driving car is and what are some of the levels of a self-driving car, let’s have a look at some of the common self-driving features that exist in many production cars:
1. Adaptive Cruise Control
This feature is present in many self-driving cars. It helps in maintaining a safe distance between your car and the car in front
2. Hands-free Steering
While driving, a driver might lose the alignment of the car. This is where the hand’s free steering comes into play. It helps the car to keep in the center without the driver’s attention but the driver is still required to be aware.
3. Lane-centering Steering
Whenever a driver tries to cross the lane markings, this feature prompts the driver to stay on the lane by prompting the driver to move on the opposite lane. Such a feature is instrumental for driver safety.
All in all artificial intelligence powers self-driven cars. And apart from the above mentioned features, there are image-recognition systems and neural networks that work in tandem.