Familiar with Delphi?
The automotive parts supplier counts two permits to test its self-driving vehicle in California, according to the state's Department of Motor Vehicles, and is in the thick of the race to put out a fully-autonomous car, with competitors in the space aiming for as early as 2018 to get the first such vehicle on the road and available to the public.
That being said, CNET recently flashed its high beams of spotlight on Delphi for turning an Audi SQ5 into a self-driving vehicle. As soon as the website experienced the vehicle, it was greeted with a voice coming out the speakers and saying, "Delphi Drive available."
The website goes on to explain how the Delphi-controlled Audi managed to speed by a Mack truck, leaving just enough space between the autonomous vehicle and the 18-wheeler.
The demonstration was rolled out to show Delphi's new Vehicle to Everything (V2E) technology, which is empowers the vehicle to understand the full surroundings of the environment its driving in, ranging from street signs to traffic lights, pedestrians, bicyclists and perhaps most importantly, other vehicles on the road with them.
The deep-learning technology is designed to empower the vehicle to respond appropriately even in times where other drivers might do something erratic on the road, while also being able to do more basic tasks such as stay in the lane, temper speed and also anticipate traffic-light changes.
Kicking it up a notch, Delphi's head of V2E, Nandita Mangal, even handed CNET an iPad before the ride, showing the website how it could use the synced tablet to have the Audi pull over at a Starbucks or even stop while en-route to pick up a friend.
The website adds that Delphi told it to expect full autonomous driving within five to 10 years, making it well past the 2020 target year that many automakers have thrown out there and the 2018 date that Tesla so boldly predicted. The good news about that — if it pans out to be true — is it will give Delphi and other companies involved in autonomous vehicle development more time to refine and improve their products.
