MIT Creates Car Co-Pilot That Only Interferes If You're About To Crash

MrSeb writes "Mechanical engineers and roboticists working at MIT have developed an intelligent automobile co-pilot that sits in the background and only interferes if you're about to have an accident. If you fall asleep, for example, the co-pilot activates and keeps you on the road until you wake up again. Like other autonomous and semi-autonomous solutions, the MIT co-pilot uses an on-board camera and laser rangefinder to identify obstacles. These obstacles are then combined with various data points — such as the driver's performance, and the car's speed, stability, and physical characteristics — to create constraints. The co-pilot stays completely silent unless you come close to breaking one of these constraints — which might be as simple as a car in front braking quickly, or as complex as taking a corner too quickly. When this happens, a ton of robotics under the hood take over, only passing back control to the driver when the car is safe. This intelligent co-pilot is starkly contrasted with Google's self-driving cars, which are completely computer-controlled unless you lean forward, put your hands on the wheel, and take over. Which method is better? A computer backup, or a human backup? I'm not sure."

Comments

2001

[headhot]

I'm sorry David, I cannot allow you to pass that car.

Re:Much better than Google's approach

[Joce640k]

Computers don't get drunk. Computers don't get angry. Computers don't get sleepy.

And computers absolutely will not stop, ever, until ...... ummm, until you arrive at your programmed destination.

Re:Much better than Google's approach

[Zeromous]

But Mommy I have TO GO NOW!!!!

Dear, please hold on the car won't stop. HOW DO YOU REBOOT THIS THING?

Uh-oh Mommy I peed on the seat...

Damn Bluescreen! On-Star,help my car won't stop and nav has gone bluescreen. what does STOP 0X00C553E mean?

I pooed too....

Re:Fast Lane

[theripper]

Why would I want to warn my enemies of my intentions?