Jaguar Land Rover announced that it is preparing to test self-driving car technology on its vehicles, and the trial runs will debut on a 41-mile (66-kilometer) route in the United Kingdom.
The automaker says that more than 100 vehicles equipped with autonomous driving technologies will be added to its fleet in the next four years.
The first tests will gauge vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications technologies, which should permit cars to interact with one another as well as recognize traffic lights, overhead gantries and roadside signs.
According to Jaguar, the data sharing will create a network of vehicles adept at communicating with each other, thus helping drivers perform 100 percent safe maneuvering, whether we are talking about crossing junctions or changing lanes.
The company took the lid off multiple upcoming technologies, namely Roadwork Assist, Safe Pullaway and Over the Horizon Warning.
The first makes use of a forward-facing stereo camera that creates a 3D view of the road ahead. This, coupled with software that can process advanced imagery, enables the car to detect and recognize barriers and traffic cones.
The system identifies the beginning of any roadwork and immediately computes an efficient path through the complex construction sites and contraflows. What is more, the feature will notify the driver about the upcoming narrowing of the road. To make sure that sailing through tight spots goes smoothly, Roadwork Assist applies a discreet amount of steering to the wheel so you always remain centered in lane.
Safe Pullaway acts as an assistance system that makes sure drivers don't collide when they pull away from the curb. The system relies on two stereo cameras that analyze what is going on in front of the car. If obstacles are detected, Safe Pullaway forces the vehicle to automatically brake, while notifying the driver with an audio cue.
Over the Horizon Warning is part of a research project that tests devices that use radio signals to communicate important data from car to car. This opens up the potential of having a network of data-gathering vehicles that communicate autonomously and provide real-time updates about the traffic levels, the state of the road and more.
The Head of Research at Jaguar Land Rover, Tony Harper, explains.
"Our connected and automated technology could help improve traffic flow, cut congestion and reduce the potential for accidents," he says.
Harper mentions that the overall driving experience will get a boost from the self-driving technologies, with drivers remaining in charge of the level of assistance they receive. He exemplifies by saying that tedious or stressful parts of the journey could be outsourced to the self-driving technologies so that drivers can enjoy the trip more.
Harper points out that the technology will run neatly in the background, even when the driver is fully focused and in control of the car.
"Because the intelligent car will always be alert and is never distracted, it could guide you through road works and prevent accidents," Harper notes.
The UK government already stated that it's planning to revamp the Highway Code so that semi-autonomous cars can become a regular part of traffic, so Jaguar has all the reasons to push onward with the initiative.
