A Journey Through the Past, Present, and Future of Self-Driving Cars

I grew up in a family obsessed with cars. My father sold new cars for a living and used cars on the side. Our driveway looked like a car dealership. As teenagers, we helped clean and deliver the cars. I learned to drive all manner of vehicles, but never considered myself a car person. A car was a mode of transportation and nothing more.

But, everything changed a few years ago when I took an interest in autonomous vehicles (AVs.)

What is an "EV" versus an "AV"?

First off, let's clear up a bit of terminology. It's common to hear the term "EV" used interchangeably with autonomous vehicles (AVs), but there's a distinct difference.

• EV stands for Electric Vehicle. It is a term used to describe vehicles powered entirely by electricity, usually stored in rechargeable battery packs. EVs are known for their environmentally friendly profile, as they produce zero emissions at the point of use. They are the beloved darlings of transportation in Norway, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and California. However, none of these places can compare to China, which currently has 10 million plug-in passenger cars on the highway.
• AV stands for Autonomous Vehicle, also known as a self-driving vehicle. AVs are equipped with advanced technologies such as sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to navigate and drive without human intervention.

A car can be an EV without being an AV and vice versa. Because the Tesla has both capabilities, the term "EV" is commonly used to refer to a "self-driving" car.

All this week, we will be exploring Autonomous Vehicles and Deep Learning. We'll dive into why autonomous vehicles are more than just EVs.

Why A Car That Helps Me Drive Is So Appealing

Blinded By the Light

Suffering from migraines is a common thread in my family lineage. I've become adept at managing the relentless throb that seems to echo the rhythm of tiny miners chiseling away at my temples. Yet, the more challenging aspect to shrug off is the visual disturbance—brightness during the day and the glare of headlights at night often make driving uncomfortable and hazardous. The prospect of entrusting these tasks to a car equipped with advanced sensors and cameras was undeniably attractive.

In the fall of 2022, my husband and I took the leap and invested in a Tesla. I diligently navigated the digital manual, swiping through the Tesla app's .pdf, and participated in the 'Getting to Know Your Tesla' sessions—highly recommended for new owners if they're still available.

A Leap of Faith in Technology

Handing the driving reins over to an algorithm was a daunting prospect, requiring a deep trust in the car's technology. Fortunately, the Tesla-run Auto-Pilot classes, which I attended not once but twice, bolstered my understanding of the car's capabilities and its limits.

After three weeks of mental preparation, I was ready for the ultimate test—letting the car take over during the notoriously congested Thanksgiving traffic. It seemed to me a rigorous trial by fire; the tech would either stand up to the challenge or not.

A Life-Changing Moment

The moment I witnessed my Tesla—affectionately named Terra—gracefully navigating the bumper-to-bumper chaos, an immense sense of relief washed over me. The experience was nothing short of transformative, as I realized the profound enhancement to my quality of life.

Of course, my role as a vigilant co-pilot remains unchanged. I'm far from snoozing while Terra takes the lead; my eyes are perpetually scanning the road, ready to intervene should the need arise.

I'm Still in the Driver's Seat

While I'm still the watchful guardian at the helm, it's empowering to know that Terra's artificial intelligence can process complex calculations with a speed and precision that's beyond my human capabilities. Nowadays, Terra confidently manages the lion's share of our highway journeys, a testament to the marvels of modern AI.

The History of Autonomous Driving

But, how did we get to this point? The history of autonomous driving is fascinating.

Da Vinci's Cart

The concept of an autonomous vehicle (AV) dates back to when Leonardo da Vinci designed a small, three-wheeled, self-propelled cart. Da Vinci's invention is regarded as not only the first self-driving vehicle but the first robot of any kind. More clockwork than motor vehicle, it incorporated a series of springs for propulsion, a pre-programmable steering system, and a parking brake released remotely by rope.

Houdina's Radio Control Car (First AV Crash)

In 1925, Houdina Radio Control demonstrated the radio-controlled "American Wonder" on New York City streets, traveling up Broadway and down Fifth Avenue through the thick of a traffic jam. The car crashed into another vehicle. Despite the early crash, the invention was demonstrated again twice in subsequent years in Milwaukee and Fredericksburg, sparking early interest in the idea of autonomous vehicles.

The General Motors Auto-Pilot Car

In the 1950s, General Motors introduced the concept of the "auto-pilot" car, which used sensors to detect the road and other vehicles. Other companies experimented with magnetic guidance as well, but upgrading infrastructure proved too costly and restrictive to present a viable and scalable solution for autonomous mobility.

Stanford University AV Moon Rover

In 1961, researchers at Stanford University developed a small cart to navigate on the surface of the moon using a basic form of computer vision.

The PROMETHEUS Project

Launched in 1987, the PROMETHEUS Project was a massive, €749 million effort involving universities and car manufacturers to advance driverless car technology. It explored areas like collision avoidance and cruise control, paving the way for future research and development. Mercedes-Benz was a key player, contributing to prototype development and collision prevention research.

DARPA Grand Challenges

In the early 2000s, DARPA's Grand Challenges threw down the gauntlet: build self-driving cars to conquer complex terrain. Funded by the US Department of Defense, these competitions spurred universities and private teams to push the boundaries of autonomous technology, even if early attempts often fell short.

Google's Self-Driving Car Project

Fast forward to 2009, and Google's self-driving car project, now known as Waymo, ignited a new era. No longer confined to research labs, their vehicles boldly ventured onto public roads, amassing millions of real-world miles and generating invaluable data.

Today, Waymo's self-driving taxis navigate the bustling streets of San Francisco, offering rides to the public and pushing the boundaries of autonomous transportation. We will delve into the fascinating topic of self-driving taxis, and the safety challenges, later in the week.

Tesla's Autopilot and the Rise of Consumer AVs

Tesla, as I experienced firsthand, has democratized access to advanced driver-assistance features with their Autopilot system. However, it's crucial to understand that Autopilot isn't fully autonomous - it requires constant driver attention and shouldn't be mistaken for "self-driving" technology.

The Current State of AV Technology

Today, numerous companies, from traditional automakers to tech giants, are in the race to develop fully autonomous vehicles. While we're not yet at the point where cars can drive themselves under all conditions without human oversight, the progress is undeniable. Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are becoming more common in new vehicles, paving the way for the next stages of autonomy.

Looking to the Future

The road ahead for autonomous vehicles shimmers with potential, yet challenges lurk around the bend. Regulatory tangles need untying, ethical quandaries demand solutions, and public trust requires careful cultivation. But fear not, for these hurdles fuel innovation, pushing the boundaries of technology and forging a path towards a transformative future.

Imagine a world where commutes become cocoons of calm, traffic jams dissolve into efficient flows, and accessibility blossoms for all. Autonomous vehicles could revolutionize transportation, weaving a tapestry of safety, convenience, and sustainability. This odyssey won't be swift, but with each iteration, each test mile, and each open dialogue, we inch closer to this reality.

Coming up this week:

Autonomous Vehicles and Deep Learning

• Sensors and Algorithms: How Deep Learning Powers Vehicle Perception
• Safety and Ethical Considerations: Balancing Innovation with Public Safety
• The Role of Data: Training AI for Real-World Scenarios in Driving
• The Road Ahead: Future Trends and Predictions in Autonomous Driving

Article written by Deep Learning Daily, a custom GPT model by Diana Wolf Torres using #OpenAI technology.?Today's article took about four hours to complete, mainly due to the research involved in the "history" section. AVs are a fascinating topic. To help with this deep dive- and to cross-check each other's work- today I enlisted Perplexity, Mistral, Bard, Claude, Bing, and ChatGPT.

Resources for Eternally Restless Minds:

• "The History of Self-Driving Cars" by David Bjerklie, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-driving_car
• World Economic Forum: "The Future of Autonomous Vehicles: 5 Challenges We Still Need to Solve" by Thomas Kurian, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/02/charted-autonomous-driving-accelerating-mobility/
• Ethics and Law: "The Ethics of Self-Driving Cars" by Bryan Johnson, https://d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net/documents/AV-Ethics-Law.pdf
• New York Times: "How Self-Driving Cars Will Change Cities" by Eric Schneiderman, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/20/technology/driverless-taxis-cars-cities.html

Documentaries:

• "Kings of Silicon Valley: The Self-Driving Car Revolution" (2018)
• "Driverless" (2018)
• "Reboot: Rebuilding America's Infrastructure" (2020)

Books:

• "Autonomous Vehicle Technology: A Guide for Policymakers" by John M. Broder and William W. Joung
• "Driverless: Why We Will Miss Cars" by James Bessen
• "The Driverless City: How Technology Will Reshape the American Metropolis" by John Markoff
• "The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence" by John Danaher

Websites:

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/automated-vehicles-safety
• The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE): https://www.sae.org/what-is-automated-and-unmanned/
• The Center for Automotive Research (CAR): https://www.cargroup.org/
• The MIT Technology Review: https://www.technologyreview.com/
• IEEE Spectrum: https://spectrum.ieee.org/

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