As we know, a self-driving car can move by itself with the
help of various sensors, and one of them is the camera sensors that act as the
'eyes of the car'. But just like the human eyes, the vision of standard cameras
is very dependent on light; the capability will decrease in the darkness.
That's why the use of additional sensors is crucial in the
development of self-driving car. Ford research team recently releases a video
demonstrating that shows how a self-driving car can move by itself in the dark
desert.
The Ford Fusion Hybrid car can drive smoothly following the
road's contour without the help of any light, and even the headlights are
turned off.
Ford utilizes LIDAR technology and 3D mapping. LIDAR sensor
will emit 2.8 million small laser beams every second to scan the surrounding
conditions.
The scan results will then be adjusted to the results of
three-dimensional mapping, complete with broad information such as road
markers, buildings, trees, and so forth. It all happens in seconds, so that the
self-driving can 'see' in the dark.
This trial aims to prove the precision level of self-driving
car, if by using LIDAR the car has been able to move well, the performance will
be more perfect when it's combined with cameras, radar, and other supporting
sensors.
This innovation also makes Form more confident with the
progress of its automatic steering system. This year, Ford plans to test about
30 self-driving cars in some areas.