Autonomous car

As autonomous vehicle or robot car is called a vehicle (ie without human assistance ) to navigate freely. Such vehicles may do so through various sensors and their environment determine their position from the information gained, control a target and avoid collisions on the road.

Autonomous vehicles are not to be equated with unmanned vehicles, as the latter move not usually free but can be remotely controlled by humans.

There are now numerous research on autonomous vehicles, such as the project " pilot city " at TU Braunschweig and the project " Spirit of Berlin " in the research field of " Artificial Intelligence " at the Free University of Berlin.

In another project, was driving a semi-autonomous vehicle from Milan to Shanghai. A second autonomous vehicle went the first immediately after ( Fellower ) and was coupled electronically, much like a trailer to a towing vehicle.

To promote the development of such vehicles, there are some performance comparisons, such as the European Land Robot Trial and the DARPA Grand Challenge. This DARPA Grand Challenge but was ended with the performance of their duties in 2007.

There are now a lot more testing. In September 2011, the Autonomous Vehicle " MadeInGermany " the FU Berlin was tested. It drove several miles in traffic from Berlin. It contributed about roundabouts and traffic lights. In cooperation with the TÜV Nord, the line was drawn and created a security concept.

In December 2011 it was announced that the Internet company Google for several years of development, a U.S. patent for the technology has been granted for the operation of autonomous vehicles. Google's test fleet has covered according to the company by this time approximately 257,000 kilometers ( 160,000 miles ) from limited exposure to the driver, and more than 1600 km ( 1000 miles ) without driver involvement. Experts assess the actions of Google as a major step to an early commercial application of technology in vehicles. In May 2012, Google received the first approval of an autonomous vehicle in the United States. So the U.S. state of Nevada allowed the test of self-driving cars on public roads. The condition, however, that there is a person behind the wheel that can intervene if necessary.

Google's venture capital arm Ventures has - as of August 2013 - involved in the taxi service Uber. Google will - in cooperation with car manufacturers - a Robotaxi intend to build that transports passengers automatically.

In the summer of 2013 Mercedes S- Class is in the presence of journalists the historic Bertha Benz route from Mannheim to Pforzheim completely autonomous.

Google's robot car is already in 2013 safer ride than a human driver.