Hi i´m João and i´m going to tell you a little bit about autonomous cars.
During my presentation i’ll mention what are them and how do they work, what are the different levels of autonomy , where do we stand ,on the present, in terms of this type of technology and how is it expexted to evolve in further years.
An autonomous car is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input. Autonomous vehicles detect surroundings using various sensors like radars, lasers, GPS and cameras. All connected to a computer to process them
The vehicles autonomy has been increasing in the last decades and we can organize its capacities several levels.
In the first cruise control version the driver sets the desired speed. The actual speed is obtained throgh internal sensors. These two speeds are compared by the controler and the throttle is actuated according.
These systems are able to mantain the speed in plan or up roads. In down roads the vehicle speed may rise and only the driver may avoid speed excess.
Today cruise control systems also receive information about the actual speed and the drivers deseired speed.
They are able to actuate not only the throttle but also the breaking system.
So they can pevent the speed increase in down roads.
Adaptative cruise controllers also integrate a front vehicle sensor usually based on radar.
The driver now specifies both the desired speed and the desired minimum gap to the front car.
The controler actuates the throttlr and the breaking systems in order to try to mantain the desired velocity but without undertaking the specified minimum gap.
These gaps are also called time gaps because they are usually specified in seconds.
Adding cameras and other types of sensors ,some vehicles are also able to actuate the steeering wheel in order to mantain its roadway.
Better systems are also able to change lanes and overtake slower vehicles. Most of these systems available today are only usable in highways.
«« but in the future it is expected that the driver won’t be needed anymore. The car will do everything by itself.
If we keep evolving like this it is possible that in the future cars will be able to clearly think by their own and maybe someday everyone will have their personal K.I.I.T.