Self driving innovation has exploded since then, but safety above all else remains the cornerstone of design when it comes to autonomous vehicles. Autonomous navigation is made possible by the complex process of gathering sensor information—integrating data from a sensor network, including camera, radar, ultrasound and FMCW LiDAR along with image recognition software for analyzing the data and making intelligent decisions based on the operating environment.
From an article in Machine Design by Rehana Begg.
LiDAR Takes the Lead
The push to add precision to detect what’s in our environment has a long trajectory. Initial recordings of sonar (sound navigation and ranging) can be traced all the way back to 1490, when Leonardo da Vinci used a tube inserted into the water to detect vessels by placing an ear to the tube.
Radar (radio detection and ranging), which is used in advanced driver assistance systems, harks back to the late 1880s when German physicist Heinrich Hertz noticed that electric waves emitted from a transmitter and reflected by a metal surface can be used to detect distant metallic objects.
LiDAR (light detection and ranging) came to the fore after the invention of the laser in the 1960s; it was first used in aerospace applications in the 1970s before being used more extensively in consumer and commercial applications in the 1980s.
Driverless Agenda
Far from being the silver bullet that points the way for autonomous vehicles, the development of robust sensory systems on a commercial scale has a long way to go before self-driving can be declared fully automated (level 5) for commercial consumption. For one, piecing together the decision-making process requires real-time imaging and accuracy that rival the complexity of a human’s perception capability.
Among available options to gather the staggering amount of data needed to make accurate navigation decisions, LiDAR stands out as a sensory system of note for companies working on autonomous vehicles, argued Mehdi Asghari, CEO, SiLC Technologies.
For the complete article on FMCW lidar CLICK HERE.
Note – If you liked this post click here to stay informed of all of the 3D laser scanning, geomatics, UAS, autonomous vehicle, Lidar News and more. If you have an informative 3D video that you would like us to promote, please forward to editor@lidarnews.com and if you would like to join the Younger Geospatial Professional movement click here
