Honda Autonomous Cars to Make Big Advances in 2020
Honda intends to reach level 3 autonomy by mid-2020, meaning no driver input is needed except in cases of emergency.
The idea of entirely autonomous cars cruising the streets seems far fetched, yet we are already nearly there. Even ten years ago, the concept seemed like it was decades away from reality, but technology is rapidly improving, and we are a lot closer than you’d think.
Japan Today reports that Honda plans to reach level 3 autonomy by mid-2020. Level 3 autonomy means that the car controls itself in every way, including braking, accelerating, turning, and even stopping at stop signs and lights. While it sounds a little terrifying, other companies have had great success on public roadways. If there’s one thing we know Honda does well, it’s engineering.
The cars use various methods of sensing what is around them. For collision prevention, cars primarily use radar and lidar technology. Radar uses radio waves to detect distances and is very useful for up-close detection. Lidar, on the other hand, uses pulses of light waves to measure the distance between two objects. These are the same technologies you’d find in police speed detectors.
While preventing collisions is obviously essential, that’s only a piece of the puzzle. The car stopping itself when it detects an imminent collision is excellent, but what about when there isn’t an inbound accident? Say, at a stoplight? This is where the cameras (mounted near the rearview mirror in the above picture) come into play. The cameras are capable of detecting stop lights and signs and will safely bring the vehicle to a stop if you’re first in line. The combination of all these technologies makes for extremely efficient and safe driving. Being inside an autonomous car takes some adjustment time. It is a bizarre feeling to sit in a car and watch the person in the driver’s seat do nothing.
How do they know where to go, you ask? The cars use GNSS for navigation. GNSS is very similar to GPS but has access to more satellites for positioning services. If you have ever taken the time to load google maps on a hike or tried to measure the distance of something using GPS, you’ve likely found that it is accurate down to the foot. Thus, the combination of the cars knowing what roads to take and the host of onboard sensors to keep lane management and collisions in check make for the dream team of self-driving. We really are living in a brave new world.
Honda plans to begin testing these cars in Tokyo as early as July. While they will be driving themselves, they will still have someone behind the wheel. They won’t be interfering with the functionality of the car unless it is absolutely necessary. Though, vehicles with no inside steering controls with nothing but passengers inside are just around the corner.
Photos: Honda
Join the Honda-Tech forums now!
