We are not even a week out from the Baidu announcement of its open source partnership with 50 companies in the autonomous vehicle (AV) world, when now we learn that Microsoft is joining that team. Microsoft continues its work on AVs by contributing to AI development and to connected vehicle (CV) research. Microsoft is playing to its traditional strengths to establish a beachhead in the AV market, rather than take the Google - now Waymo - all-in approach.
The technology under development is mode-agnostic, if you will. It can be employed in transit vehicles, in private ride hailing, micro-transit, or shuttles as well as for freight trucking and conventional individually-owned and operated cars and light trucks. There's a hedge-your-bets wisdom to concentrating on the technology side and ignoring business models and vehicle design.
Don't count out regular cars, just with AV
There are many who believe we will replace our current pattern of vehicle use with similar individually-owned AVs. Depending on price, this could be the future. News from Torc Robotics supports that prediction with an AV system for cars. The company is declaring that it has solved the weather problem and that it is partnering with auto companies to bring the system to market.
Not California or Singapore, but Dubai
Lots of US government investment is being made in CV research, but Dubai, which has been out in front in the adoption of AV transportation and pilots, will be testing CV - or rather V2I - traffic signals. (V2I meaning vehicle to infrastructure, in case any non-nerds are reading.) I hope that, unlike the DC area, there are no power outages there.
Another cute shuttle vehicle is born
EasyMile has much of the shuttle market the world over, but now a new player has emerged with its own adorable shuttle. "AirBridgeCargo has transported a prototype autonomous vehicle from the Netherlands to Singapore." The shuttle is supposed to be a new mode, or at least a new acronym - GRT, which stands for Group Rapid Transit. I wonder if GRT is a dig at EasyMile, which has concentrated on slow shuttles that are quickly easing regular people, in contrast to transportation nerds, into the idea of AV as normal.
Showing posts with label Connected. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Connected. Show all posts
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Bluegrass Tennessee Passes AV and CV Laws - Deep Dive
If this were my inbox or a pile on my desk, I would be groaning out loud and with great suffering. I hate stuff piling up, but I let it happen this time with the seeming constant flow of legislation, particularly from US states that believe that a new law will place them in the lead of economic prosperity that autonomous vehicles will surely bring.
NOT.
You are too late; the lead on this has already been taken. Now it is better to be either a state that puts out a welcome mat for autonomous vehicles on all roads, in all situations, and with little bureaucracy, or to take a wait-and-see attitude while other states suffer from the inevitable growing pains that a disruptive on-the-streets technology will bring.
Tennessee's new autonomous vehicle law, TN S. 151, the Safe Automated Vehicles (SAVE) Act, has a few unusual provisions, but then that is what is interesting about the state laws being passed. They all differ in some way, just like current motor vehicle laws vary regarding conventional vehicles.
The statute covers the whole range of self-driving possibilities, from partially driverless to complete "automated driving systems" (ADS), which is the term employed by the statute. Read to the bottom for info about Tennessee's new platooning law.
Bluegrass State Likes Big Auto Companies
A big limitation is the restriction to any but auto manufacturers.
Siri says put on the seatbelt or we won't go. Nah, she's not mom material
The Tennessee law includes a provision that anticipates unaccompanied children riding in autonomous vehicles. The responsibility for the child will lie not with the company that manufactures or controls the vehicle at the time, but, quite logically, with the parent, guardian, or other adult who is personally responsible for the minor. As someone who grew up on the buses and trains in New York City, I am fine with this, but that kind of situation will be a big change in most American communities.
The law goes into quite a bit of detail about the child situation, specifically addressing liability if a child fails to put on a seatbelt (in my house, the kids would scream if anyone neglected to click that seatbelt). Actually, the law excuses the seatbelt neglect as far as operators of autonomous vehicles are concerned.
Usual provisions
Being picky
Though the statute uses the word "crash," the law also refers to "accidents," a term which many now oppose because the design of high-speed and other dangerous roads predictably results in road violence, injury, and death.
Convoy
Tennessee has passed a connected vehicle law TN S. 676 that allows for multi-vehicle platooning IF there is "notification to the department of transportation and the department of safety. The notification provided pursuant to this subsection (a) must include a plan for general platoon operations." AND the platooning plan is not rejected by either of these state departments within 30 days of plan notification. (Emphasis added.)
NOT.
You are too late; the lead on this has already been taken. Now it is better to be either a state that puts out a welcome mat for autonomous vehicles on all roads, in all situations, and with little bureaucracy, or to take a wait-and-see attitude while other states suffer from the inevitable growing pains that a disruptive on-the-streets technology will bring.
Tennessee's new autonomous vehicle law, TN S. 151, the Safe Automated Vehicles (SAVE) Act, has a few unusual provisions, but then that is what is interesting about the state laws being passed. They all differ in some way, just like current motor vehicle laws vary regarding conventional vehicles.
The statute covers the whole range of self-driving possibilities, from partially driverless to complete "automated driving systems" (ADS), which is the term employed by the statute. Read to the bottom for info about Tennessee's new platooning law.
Bluegrass State Likes Big Auto Companies
A big limitation is the restriction to any but auto manufacturers.
A motor vehicle manufacturer may commence a SAVE project on the streets and highways of this state after it provides notification to the department of its self-certification of the requirements set out in § 55-54-104. Only motor vehicle manufacturers are eligible to participate in a SAVE project, and each motor vehicle manufacturer is responsible for the safe operation of its participating fleet. [Emphasis added.]A manufacturer is defined in this statute as a "person" (meaning a corporation) that:
(A) Has manufactured and distributed motor vehicles in the United States that are certified to comply with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards; and
(B) Submitted appropriate manufacturer identification information to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as provided in 49 CFR part 566;The limitation means that tech companies that want to test AV software, sensors, etc., will have to partner with a manufacturer - or go to a more friendly state. This subsection basically says goodbye to a startup that wants to test on its own.
Siri says put on the seatbelt or we won't go. Nah, she's not mom material
The Tennessee law includes a provision that anticipates unaccompanied children riding in autonomous vehicles. The responsibility for the child will lie not with the company that manufactures or controls the vehicle at the time, but, quite logically, with the parent, guardian, or other adult who is personally responsible for the minor. As someone who grew up on the buses and trains in New York City, I am fine with this, but that kind of situation will be a big change in most American communities.
The law goes into quite a bit of detail about the child situation, specifically addressing liability if a child fails to put on a seatbelt (in my house, the kids would scream if anyone neglected to click that seatbelt). Actually, the law excuses the seatbelt neglect as far as operators of autonomous vehicles are concerned.
Usual provisions
- Pilot projects require notification that includes geographic information about pilot and testing areas, and crash notification and data reporting technology.
- Automatic or prompt notification to law enforcement in the case of a crash. "Prompt" is left undefined, but, presumably, regulations will clarify that.
- Consistent with general tort law, the Tennessee statute deems the manufacturer liable "for incidents where the ADS is at fault." Really, that goes without saying and does not create strict liability or a presumption of liability.
- And another significant, but usual, provision is a ban that preempts counties, cities, and other political subdivisions from having their own laws or policies that are more lenient or rigid than the state law. Big no to local control.
- The ADS is considered the operator for a fully autonomous vehicle.
Being picky
Though the statute uses the word "crash," the law also refers to "accidents," a term which many now oppose because the design of high-speed and other dangerous roads predictably results in road violence, injury, and death.
Convoy
Tennessee has passed a connected vehicle law TN S. 676 that allows for multi-vehicle platooning IF there is "notification to the department of transportation and the department of safety. The notification provided pursuant to this subsection (a) must include a plan for general platoon operations." AND the platooning plan is not rejected by either of these state departments within 30 days of plan notification. (Emphasis added.)
Monday, October 26, 2015
It's Like Brio Trains for Driverless Cars
Universities driving forward
Stanford University engineering students have produced a driverless DeLorean that combines the practical benefits of a conventional driverless car with the advantages of a race car, the ability to precisely swerve when necessary. The thinking of this research team is that driverless vehicles will confront abnormal and dangerous conditions from time to time and they will need the algorithms and the hardware to safely maneuver.
Also out West, a professor at the University of Nevada - Reno, successfully completed a driverless trip from the US border to Mexico City. No hands, ma, for 1500 miles of Mexican highways, city streets, and desert driving. This is not the first trip for Professor Rojas, who travels in a driverless Volkswagen. The professor holds a joint appointment at a German university.
Over in Scotland, more than pretty views
A Scottish company is working on technology that will enable connected cars to operate on an electric track - sounds like a train - but different and for cars.
Stanford University engineering students have produced a driverless DeLorean that combines the practical benefits of a conventional driverless car with the advantages of a race car, the ability to precisely swerve when necessary. The thinking of this research team is that driverless vehicles will confront abnormal and dangerous conditions from time to time and they will need the algorithms and the hardware to safely maneuver.
Also out West, a professor at the University of Nevada - Reno, successfully completed a driverless trip from the US border to Mexico City. No hands, ma, for 1500 miles of Mexican highways, city streets, and desert driving. This is not the first trip for Professor Rojas, who travels in a driverless Volkswagen. The professor holds a joint appointment at a German university.
Over in Scotland, more than pretty views
A Scottish company is working on technology that will enable connected cars to operate on an electric track - sounds like a train - but different and for cars.
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