The Role of Robotics in Autonomous Vehicle Testing

Can the journey from one point to anther be made better? While you might enjoy driving, autonomous vehicles could make your commute better thanks to robotics.

Robotics attempts to replace many human functions with those of machines, especially machines that can understand various input and changing data to respond to the needs of the environment. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, we are closer than ever to self-driving cars that could take us everywhere we need to go without our control. Eventually, we’ll only need to input a destination and then sit back and enjoy the ride.

Where will we see these advancements first?

Most automakers test new technology in their most expensive luxury vehicles before adding this technology to more affordable models. The journey from one point to another can be made much better I we can trust autonomous vehicles to get the job done. This requires robotics, advanced technology, and a lot of testing. Some companies, such as Waymo, have already tested self-driving vehicles for billions of miles on roads in some major cities. In fact, Waymo is expanding to new markets and will be part of other major cities in the near future.

How can autonomous vehicles continue to advance?

The role of robotics in autonomous vehicle testing involves the systems facilitating and executing complex tasks. The AI system enables the system to understand the surrounding and adapt to the environment. This can be as simple as driving on a highway while allowing the driver to rest their hands and feet and as complex as removing the controls for a driver altogether, which allows a vehicle to be driven through a busy city without human intervention. The goal is safer, stress-free driving that makes navigating traffic much safer and smoother.

Using robotics, self-driving cars can take over the driving that is the most stressful, unpredictable, and exhausting. This should make traffic smoother, safer, and be better for the environment. The greatest advantage to autonomous vehicles is the ability of riders to enjoy a stress-free commute or ride. We should be able to expect these vehicles to get us where we need to go without incident.

Challenges facing this forward progress

There are many challenges to autonomous vehicles and the use of AI and robotics to drive vehicles. Eventually, we may get to a point in which all vehicles are driven by digital systems, or we could come to a point in which those vehicles driven by humans must use specific lanes, or vice versa, but we aren’t there yet.

Programming isn’t robust enough yet

The programming for self-driving vehicles isn’t nearly complete, which means putting these vehicles on the roads with human drives could be problematic. Some automakers have invested in systems that use mapped roads and routes to allow vehicles to drive without human input for several miles. Ford has its BlueCruise system and GM has its Super Cruise package that allow these things to happen. These are steps forward, but what happens when full autonomy occurs?

Are you ready to give up control?

Although some companies are proving that self-driving vehicles can handle the challenges of driving without human intervention, most people aren’t ready to give up control of their vehicles. This might seem strange because computerized vehicles should be much safer than those driven by humans. Still, most people would rather control their fate than put it in the hands of a computer.

Systems aren’t infallible yet

Think about how often a digital device you own fails. Can you imagine this happening in your car while you’re being driven down the road with only the computerized system handling the controls. This could be detrimental and possibly fatal to some people.

We’re heading toward autonomous driving

More companies are exploring the role of robotics in autonomous vehicle testing to see how these systems can work together with AI to make your drive, safe, secure, and predictable. There could be a time in the future in which you can get in your vehicle after work and wake up the next morning at your friend’s house several hundreds of miles away, but we aren’t there yet.

Imagine how much time you could gain back if you didn’t have to handle your daily commute, weekly errands, or the drive during a holiday road trip. While this sounds great, most of use aren’t ready to give up control of the steering wheel yet. Still, robotics will play a big role in autonomous vehicle development and could be a big part of the future of driving, which might not require your intervention at all.