The self driving vehicles

By: Ibrahim Sairafi

In 2009, Google formed a team to start a new project. The project was launched to build a self driving vehicle. After years of experiments and improvements on different cars, Google finally delivered the first build prototype vehicle in December  2014. The vehicle relies on the sensor to detect any objects around the car. Also, the software which its main job is to process all the information it received from the sensor and help the vehicle navigate the streets safely without getting disturbed. The technology seems promising after the good record the vehicle showed in tests. The new technology will revolutionize the car market when it works,since it will serve a big portion and range of customers who need this service. For instance, old people who can’t drive. The safety issues are the main concern the developers of this vehicle and the main priority for the engineers who are designing it. Many remain skeptical regarding the safety issues and urge engineers to find a way to avoid mistakes. For example, what if the system failed what will happen. The vehicle was not examined or tested on severe weather conditions like heavy snow or rain for safety purposes. Scientists and engineers are still optimistic on solving the challenges and the obstacles even faster than the public can think. Currently, not only google is trying to develop the technology but also other big car manufacturers such as BMW, Volvo and Ford.  As an engineer I thinks it’s a great technology that will help many people who can’t drive. Moreover, it’s a great opportunity for engineers to turn this project to reality.

Reference:

"Google Self-Driving Car Project." Google Self-Driving Car Project. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.