Volkswagon Shows Off Self-Driving Auto-Pilot For Cars

thecarchik writes "The future of driving, in major cities at least, is looking more and more likely to be done by high-tech computers rather than actual people, at least if the latest breakthroughs in self-driving vehicle technology mean anything. Internet search engine giant Google has logged some 140,000 miles with its self-driving Toyota Prius fleet and Audi has had similar success with its run of autonomous cars. Now, Volkswagen has presented its Temporary Auto Pilot technology. Monitored by a driver, the technology can allow a car to drive semi-automatically at speeds of up to 80 mph on highways."

Comments

Is this based on CARolo?

[KDR_11k]

I know a VW car was used as a base for the CARolo entrant during the DARPA Urban Challenge, it didn't fare too well in the finals but was one of the few non-US teams to even qualify for it. Did they scrap that technology or is this a result of it?

Re:Is this based on CARolo?

[rbrausse]

if I read the press releases of the R&D program correctly the thing seems to be different.

In contrast to previous research vehicles such as “Junior” and “Stanley”, TAP is based on a relatively production-like sensor platform [..]

The use of fully automatic, driverless vehicles such as ‘Stanley’ and ‘Junior’ [..] is undoubtedly a long way off.

Messy blurb

[arth1]

The blurb doesn't make much sense (not counting the egregious misspelling). How is it initially going to be for big cities if the cars that come out are only offering this for highways?

Re:Messy blurb

[TheRaven64]

How is it initially going to be for big cities if the cars that come out are only offering this for highways?

The first model will be a bulldozer.

motorauthority.com?

[rbrausse]

strange site, with too many ads...

a more useful link seems to be this one, the VW Temporary Auto Pilot is part of a quite big European R&D project.

Re:Posting

[arth1]

Posting to undo accidental mod

OT: Out of curiosity, how can a first post undo an accidental mod -- what could you possibly have modded?

Circumventing our autopilot overlords

[Tsar]

Unless there's some unforeseen (by the general public) future setback in technology, there will come a point in the next few years when you won't be able to legally drive on a public street without this kind of technology--probably always on to take over when you speed, tailgate or just drive too aggressively. What possibilities would then exist for gaming the system? Not myself, of course, but others...

I assume that the firmware on these systems will be DRM'ed to prevent aftermarket adjustments. Some of the basic functionality (speed limits, etc.) would require a GPS signal; perhaps intermittent GPS jamming would cause the system to revert to full manual control. Any other ideas?

Re:Circumventing our autopilot overlords

[drinkypoo]

Any other ideas?

Keep a classic maintained. My 1982 300SD gets 30 MPG, carries four full-sized adults in comfort, and comes off the line better than most 5 liter American sedans. You can pick one up for a couple grand and restore it for less than it will cost to buy a total shitbox new. Best part? It is dependent on zero computers to function. Even the cruise control unit barely qualifies. It has an EGR computer but since I disabled EGR (it was leaking soot) that's not in play; the vacuum line is closed off.

Re:Liability

[Conspiracy_Of_Doves]

They're already putting black boxes into cars. The assumption would be that it would be recording the actions of the autopilot, too.

Audi = Volkswagen

[tulmad]

Given that Audi and Volkswagen (that's wagen, with an E) are the same company, it's not surprising that they're sharing the technology behind this.

Re:Liability

[0123456]

I'd be willing to be that, considering the disclaimer that the autopilot must be monitored by the driver, the human operator is still liable.

Like the way that when an aircraft autopilot shuts down because it can't work out how to fly the plane, then it crashes, that's always due to 'pilot error'?

It'll be great fun when you're driving along reading the newspaper and suddenly the car autopilot shuts down. Good luck.