The car I love to drive, a Citroën, about to test autonomous cars with ‘non-expert’ drivers

For years, I have driven a Citroën C5 because it is just so comfortable. Gladly enough, the Groupe PSA are now testing their self-driving vehicles with people like you and me. Looking forward to hearing more about this, since ordinary users probably give other kinds of feedback than the professional drivers. A step in the right direction on marrying technology with humans needs.

Groupe PSA is the first automaker to gain the right to test in this way on French public roads.

Source: Peugeot, Citroën to test autonomous cars with ‘non-expert’ drivers – Roadshow

Ford, GM, Audi, Mercedes, and Nissan taking the lead for autonomous cars #AI

It was just a matter of time, I guess. So many articles have been focusing on what is happening in Silicon Valley while staying blind to the obvious: The big car corporations will do what they can to stay as leaders, also for the autonomous cars.

Tech companies are getting realistic about the automotive segment.

Source: The race for autonomous cars is over. Silicon Valley lost.

#AI in self-driving cars and trucks is racing, but are we as humans keeping up?

Below is an interesting view of how artificial intelligence in cars, and trucks, is moving forward quickly, while we as humans sometimes are left behind. For many engineers, it seems the higher up on the automatic scale we come, the better. But we must always take into account how we as humans will interact with all this automation, and especially when the automation shuts down:

“Taking back control of a self-driving car might be relatively quick, but taking the right action might take a lot longer.”

We need more people to reflect on these vital questions.

Not Fast Enough: Human Factors in AI Self-Driving Cars for Control Transitions – AI Trends

You are driving your car and suddenly a child darts into the street from the sidewalk. You see the child in the corner of your eye, your mental processesSource: Not Fast Enough: Human Factors in AI Self-Driving Cars for Control Transitions – AI Trends

Autonomous or driverless cars, and will we buy them?

It is easy to get a bit sloppy when writing about future technology that will change our lives. For example, not using the distinction between autonomous and driverless cars correctly.  It turns out, however, that there are methods to knowing what we are talking about exactly.

Here 360 published The difference between autonomous and driverless cars, where they outline the six levels of automation. Many of us have level 1 cars today, with basic parking assistance and the like, while a few are at level 2. The levels also relate to the autonomous/driverless distinction:

“Starting at Level 2, you can call a car autonomous because it makes its own driving decisions. Following this argument, you can also call it self-driving, although the term seems more adequate for cars at Level 4 and 5.”

One reason these levels are not used in our everyday language, is that these kind of cars are still rare on the roads. This had led some researchers to focus on simulation what will happen, as in Majority of human drivers don’t ‘bully’ autonomous vehicles. One conclusion of their tests, is that:

“What we have found suggests that people find it hard to recognise automated vehicles and/or don’t yet understand how automated vehicles behave. In terms of their driving behaviour, they therefore treat them as they would any other vehicle. It is possible that this could change as exposure to autonomous vehicles increases, but more evidence is needed to substantiate this.”

The advancement in the auto industry with new cars being produced, and research like the one above, will help clear these questions as we move forward. A central concern is still attracting us as consumers. What if no-one wants a driverless car? says that consumers could be the biggest barrier to autonomy. We are so used to being in full control of our vehicles, that higher levels of automation might feel strange at first:

“Survey respondents overwhelmingly preferred Level Four autonomy, where a human still had the option of taking control of the car. Almost 10% vowed they would never buy a fully autonomous car while 40% wanted to keep driving information private, even if that made the roads less efficient.”

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“Take a drive in Google’s newest self-driving car – VICE News” #AI

This segment originally aired Jan. 27, 2017, on VICE News Tonight on HBO. You can’t walk down the street in San Francisco without seeing a car with a spinning tassel of lasers speed by. Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, all have self driving projects. Uber has autonomous cars already picking up…

Source: Take a drive in Google’s newest self-driving car – VICE News

Should we move fast or slow while building autonomous cars? #AI

Soon, all car manufacturers are into self-driving cars. They, however, approach this is different ways.

Industries split over going fast or slow on driverless cars | The Seattle Times

With their different heritages, automakers and tech companies are taking different approaches to a singular goal: getting autonomous cars on the road.

Source: Industries split over going fast or slow on driverless cars | The Seattle Times

GQ Magazine reverse engineers autonomous cars to deliver their own sleek version

A set of impressive companies list what the future of cars look like, and then there is some cool reverse engineering.

We created our own autonomous car. Technology just got stylish

Autonomous cars have never been closer to everyday reality. To explore the roads of tomorrow, GQ reverse-engineers three hot concepts and designs our own vision for a future that’s fast approaching

Source: We created our own autonomous car. Technology just got stylish

Volvo: Let’s make self-driving cars as easy to use as smartphones #AI

Volvo’s work is more and more interesting, especially since their goal by 2020 to not have anyone seriously hurt or killed by their cars.

Volvo to run ‘largest’ test of driverless cars in London

Company executive says the goal is to make operating self-driving cars as easy as smartphone use

Source: Volvo to run ‘largest’ test of driverless cars in London

Supply-chains and #AI: Beers in the Otto truck was only the beginning.

The trucking industry is in for some big changes.

Transportation Technology Wises Up | autonomous vehicles uberization

Self-driving trucks, intelligent highways and freight-hauling apps are changing the way goods can be transported and delivered.

Source: Transportation Technology Wises Up | autonomous vehicles uberization