The Race To Become Driverless Has Gripped The World: Here's Everything You Should Know

There is an interesting race brewing among the world’s top car producers to develop semi-autonomous and fully-autonomous vehicles over the next three years. With little legislation in place to regulate this technology, the investment is quite a gamble. However, the potential reward for being the first to perfect and release an autonomous car is huge.

Asia
Japan has formed a research partnership between the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Automobile Research Institute. This partnership of the private and public sector aims to release a fully autonomous vehicle for public use within five years. The group is focusing on reducing the amount of human-caused accidents in heavy traffic with the use of radar, depth sensors and mapping equipment. China is also building government and private relations with a national committee focused on developing and implementing safe autonomous vehicles. Representatives from Nissan and Toyota are working on the board, and public road tests will begin in Singapore soon. Singapore looks to improve public transportation with smaller self-driving cars and large buses to drive along specific routes.

Europe
Over the past few years we have seen tests performed all over Europe. The CityMobil2 project has continued to secure funding and produce demonstrations in various European cities where commuters could benefit from automated transportation in heavy congestion. Now that the UK is beginning its public road tests, the pressure is on. Volvo will begin testing 100 vehicles on Swedish roads in 2017. The UK, along with Spain, may have an advantage as neither nation ratified the Vienna Convention on Traffic that requires cars have a driver at all times. Good move.

USA
Regulations vary by states, and some are more willing to accommodate for testing and future public use. Most states, at best, are in the process of making legislation for this new wave of technology. In states where no laws exist to forbid the activity, autonomous vehicle use is technically legal. Nevada was the first state to allow and regulate testing on public roads, granting Google a permit in 2012. California developed a testing program beginning September 16, 2014, and the state has already granted nearly 30 permits for testing on public roads. New legislation in California began January 1, 2015 to regulate the use of these cars by the public.

Audi
When California opened its testing program to all manufacturers this month, Audi was the first one in the door to submit an application and earn the permit that would allow it to test autonomous cars on public roads.

Cadillac
CEO Mary Barra says GM will lead its autonomous production with some Cadillac models in 2016 featuring the new Super Cruise system. In 2017, Cadillac will roll out more features connecting its vehicles to others on the road (V2V) and with highway system monitors. Cadillac will lead the way for other GM brands to include the technology in later years.

Tesla
CEO Elon Musk has announced a timeline of three years for semi-autonomous and five years for fully-autonomous vehicles to be released to the public. Tesla is no stranger to emerging technologies and plans to build upon its operating system using AT&T’s network to sync vehicles with each other and the roadways.

Toyota
Toyota has been careful about using the word ‘autonomous’ and has instead focused on ‘active driver assists’ that will be in several of its cars by 2019. After forming a good relationship with Tesla for its electric vehicles, Toyota is again using this relationship to help develop its autonomous vehicles. Between the government-aided research in Japan and its hook-up with Tesla, Toyota should turn out just fine in this race.

Mercedes
Mercedes is arguably the current leader in hands free driving technology with its Distronic Plus System that acts like cruise control and keeps drivers from unintentionally crossing into another lane. Mercedes vehicles will use radar technology to follow traffic and auto brake. It is currently building on this technology with more advanced sensors and V2V communication.

Nissan
Nissan is currently working on a semi-autonomous system that will likely hit the market in 2016. Its cars will have self-parking capabilities and use a ‘traffic jam pilot’ to help ensure safety for passengers while in notoriously congested areas. Nissan will use its Infinity line to lead in new technology releases and says we will see their fully-autonomous car by 2020.

BMW
If we know anything about the team at BMW, it’s that it does not settle for less when it comes to quality. It plans to release a semi-autonomous vehicle to the public in two to three years, and a fully-autonomous version by 2020. Its best move so far was teaming up with Chinese technology giant, Baidu (aka the Google of China). Baidu has been working on this technology for its own self-driving vehicles, and will be integrating it in BMWs soon as it begins testing in China.

Google
Google’s driverless car has already logged over 700,000 miles without accident (except one when a driver was in control). The company was awarded 25 permits in California and will soon be testing Lexus SUVs equipped with Google’s mapping and driving technologies. Google will not only be selling its technology to manufacturers, it will also be making its own cars.

Everyone Else
The above manufacturers have taken off with a quick start, but that’s not to say that others aren’t taking similar strides. Honda and Ford are both committed to releasing similar technologies in its vehicles by 2020. Like everyone else, these manufactures will focus first on driver assists and expand to V2V communication in the coming years. Exotic car companies, for now, remained focused on creating amazing driving experiences for their main focus: the driver. Let’s hope they keep it this way.

Public Transport
Public bus systems can benefit from using driverless vehicles by reducing the risk of accidents while the bus follows an established route. These typically low-speed vehicles are already using monitoring and mapping technologies to help avoid accidents and to make sure that the bus stops at the right time. Why not just remove the driver? Google is also working on a driverless public transport option. Check out the video for some test runs. This car will only operate at low speeds and is completely autonomous. It has no steering wheel or pedals, so there is nothing for the passenger to override. Passengers will be able to order a ride from their smartphone, so there is no need to hail a taxicab.

Commercial Transport
Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Future 2025 Truck’ is just one example of the future of autonomous long distance transportation. It will use cameras, radar and a digital mapping device called Predictive Powertrain Control. Some of this equipment already exists on Mercedes trucks, but will be perfected in the coming years to allow commercial trucks to make those long repetitive trips without the need for a driver.

As we come closer to a time where driverless vehicles flood the roads, one thing is for sure: drivers like us will never give up control! True petrolheads will always crave power, performance and steering over autonomous cruising.