Coches autónomos

[Cadavre Exquis]

Un experimento sobre cómo los coches autónomos ayudarán a evitar los atascos
Por @Alvy — 8 de febrero de 2025

Jonathan Sprinkle | Self-driving cars experiment demonstrates dramatic improvements in traffic flow

Hace tiempo que la ciencia ha sido capaz de explicar una de las razones de los «misteriosos atascos» en las carreteras: la lenta reacción de los conductores propicia que se formen las aglomeraciones que no se resuelve a tiempo. Somos lentos en reaccionar cuando hay que frenar y somos lentos al arrancar. Esto propicia una especie de «efecto acordeón» o atasco de tráfico fantasma que crece y crece y que, como las ondas sobre la superficie de un lago, a la larga puede coincidir con tan mala suerte que deje a los vehículos literalmente parados.

Pero hete aquí que la llegada de los coches autónomos ha arrojado una nueva luz sobre cómo pueden resolver este tipo de problemas, en especial esos «atascos fantasma» sin razón aparente. Y es tan simple como añadir un coche autónomo en la ecuación.

En el experimento que puede verse en el vídeo –en el que colaboró un equipo multidisciplinar de cuatro universidades– se puede ver cómo se analizó todo esto: una veintena de coches circulan dando vueltas, casi como si estuvieran en una larga recta encontrándose con diversos escenarios de más o menos tráfico. Casi todos los coches están conducidos por «personas» simuladas, pero entre ellos hay un coche autónomo (marcado con la flecha) cuyo comportamiento y velocidad varía según su programación.

El algoritmo o fórmula en cuestión controla el vehículo de tal forma que minimiza las veces que el conductor humano que va detrás de él tiene que accionar el freno. Este es el origen del problema, de modo que una conducción más suave –aunque sea más lenta– ayuda a que la velocidad no tenga tantas bruscas variaciones. La gráfica inferior muestra la velocidad en el eje vertical y el tiempo en el horizontal: cuanto más amplias las variaciones, más problemas. Cuanto más estrecha y estable, mejor velocidad media.

En total se probaron diversos números de «frenazos», entre 2 y 9 por kilómetro. Cuando hay que frenar pocas veces también hay que volver a recuperar velocidad pocas veces, de modo que valores entre 2 y 3 veces por kilómetro son los óptimos. Esto no solo hace más fluido el tráfico: también reduce el consumo de combustible hasta un 40 por ciento.

Lo más interesante del asunto es que tan solo hace falta un coche de cada veinte (más o menos un cinco por ciento) para que la situación mejore considerablemente. Si esto es extrapolable –como parece– a las situaciones de tráfico convencional en las calles y carreteras significa que no será necesario que todos los coches sean autónomos; tan pronto como un número significativo de ellos circulen libremente deberían empezarse a notarse los efectos. Nuestros futuros amigos calculadores, metódicos y con reflejos dignos de cualquier deportista de élite también nos ayudarán en esto.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

Lyft Eyes Robotaxi Launch in 2026
Posted by msmash on Monday February 10, 2025 @11:44AM from the up-next dept.

Lyft says it will launch a fleet of robotaxis, using self-driving technology from Intel's Mobileye, in Dallas in "as soon as 2026," with plans to scale to "thousands" of vehicles in additional markets in the months to follow. From a report:

To signal its seriousness, the company tapped Marubeni, a Japanese conglomerate, to run fleet operations. Lyft's news comes after Uber dropped new details about its plan to feature Waymo's robotaxis on its platform in Austin and Atlanta later this year. And Tesla recently shared plans to launch a robotaxi service in Austin this summer.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

China's BYD Adding 'High-Level' Self-Driving To Its Budget $10K EV
Posted by BeauHD on Monday February 10, 2025 @08:50PM from the market-disruption dept.

Chinese automaker BYD is offering its advanced "God's Eye" autonomous technology in mass-market EVs like the $9,500 Seagull, while expanding globally with government-backed EV initiatives. Gizmodo reports:

Previously, BYD had limited its driver assistance features to higher-end models that cost more than $28,000, according to BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu. In expanding the technology to the Seagull and other cars for no extra charge, Chuanfu said "good technology should be available to everyone." Other BYD vehicles getting the addition of the technology including cars from its Ocean, Han, Song, and Yuan lineups, as well as its hybrid vehicles. "God's Eye was developed in-house by BYD and will equip the automaker's mass-market models with features commonly only found on upscale EVs such as remote parking via smartphones and autonomous overtaking on roads," the company said.

BYD says the level of autonomy present in each car will vary depending on which sensors are equipped in the cars. Some of its pricier cars, for instance, include LiDAR sensors like those found in Waymos, which can offer faster and more precise object detection than cameras alone, particularly in low-light conditions or when a roadway is obstructed by rain or fog. [...] China's government has heavily prioritized the transition to electric vehicles with strong incentives, and BYD has managed to turn a profit on its electric vehicles, a feat that has heretofore only been accomplished by Tesla. The importance to China is clear: As the world continues transitioning to EVs, the likes of BYD have been able to push into markets including Europe and South America as Western brands lose share.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

US Agency To Ease Self-Driving Vehicle Deployment Hurdles, Retain Reporting Rules
Posted by BeauHD on Thursday April 24, 2025 @09:30PM from the cutting-the-red-tape dept.

The Trump administration introduced a new framework to expedite self-driving vehicle deployment by reducing regulatory hurdles, while maintaining mandatory safety incident reporting. NHTSA is also expanding its exemption program, allowing domestically produced autonomous vehicles lacking traditional safety controls to operate on U.S. roads. Reuters reports:

The Trump administration said Thursday it aims to speed up the deployment of self-driving vehicles but will maintain rules requiring reporting of safety incidents involving advanced vehicles. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday released a new framework to boost autonomous vehicles. "This administration understands that we're in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn't be higher," Duffy said. "Our new framework will slash red tape."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it will expand a program to exempt some self-driving vehicles from all safety requirements and will streamline but continue its requirement that vehicles equipped with certain advanced driver assistance systems or self-driving systems report safety incidents. NHTSA is expanding its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program to now include domestically produced vehicles that will allow companies to operate non-compliant imported vehicles on U.S. roads. It is currently only open to foreign assembled models.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

Waymo Reports 250,000 Paid Robotaxi Rides Per Week In US
Posted by BeauHD on Thursday April 24, 2025 @10:10PM from the not-too-shabby dept.

Waymo is now providing over 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the U.S., up from 200,000 in February, as it expands into cities like Austin and grows partnerships with Uber and automakers. CNBC reports:

"We can't possibly do it all ourselves," said Pichai on a call with analysts for Alphabet's first-quarter earnings. Pichai noted that Waymo has not entirely defined its long-term business model, and there is "future optionality around personal ownership" of vehicles equipped with Waymo's self-driving technology. The company is also exploring the ways it can scale up its operations, he said.

The 250,000 paid rides per week are up from 200,000 in February, before Waymo opened in Austin and expanded in the San Francisco Bay Area in March. Waymo, which is part of Alphabet's Other Bets segment, is already running its commercial, driverless ride-hailing services in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin regions.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

Waymo Says Its Driverless Cars Are Better Than Humans At Avoiding Crashes
Posted by BeauHD on Friday May 02, 2025 @09:00AM from the way-more-safety dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Teslarati:

Waymo Driver is already reducing severe crashes and enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users. As per a new research paper set for publication in the Traffic Injury Prevention Journal, Waymo Driver had outperformed human drivers in safety, particularly for vulnerable road users (VRUs). Over 56.7 million miles, compared to human drivers, Waymo Driver achieved a 92% reduction in pedestrian injury crashes. It also saw 82% fewer crashes with injuries with cyclists and 82% fewer crashes with injuries with motorcyclists. Waymo Driver also slashed injury-involving intersection crashes by 96%, which are a leading cause of severe road harm for human drivers. Waymo Driver saw 85% fewer crashes with suspected serious or worse injuries as well.

"It's encouraging to see real-world data showing Waymo outperforming human drivers when it comes to safety. Fewer crashes and fewer injuries -- especially for people walking and biking -- is exactly the kind of progress we want to see from autonomous vehicles," said Jonathan Adkins, Chief Executive Officer at Governors Highway Safety Association.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

First Driverless Semis Have Started Running Regular Longhaul Routes
Posted by BeauHD on Friday May 02, 2025 @11:30PM from the after-decades-of-hype dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN:

Driverless trucks are officially running their first regular long-haul routes, making roundtrips between Dallas and Houston. On Thursday, autonomous trucking firm Aurora announced it launched commercial service in Texas under its first customers, Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, which delivers time- and temperature-sensitive freight. Both companies conducted test runs with Aurora, including safety drivers to monitor the self-driving technology dubbed "Aurora Driver." Aurora's new commercial service will no longer have safety drivers.

"We founded Aurora to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly, said Chris Urmson, CEO and co-founder of Aurora, in a release on Thursday. "Now, we are the first company to successfully and safely operate a commercial driverless trucking service on public roads." The trucks are equipped with computers and sensors that can see the length of over four football fields. In four years of practice hauls the trucks' technology has delivered over 10,000 customer loads. As of Thursday, the company's self-driving tech has completed over 1,200 miles without a human in the truck. Aurora is starting with a single self-driving truck and plans to add more by the end of 2025.

Saludos.

[Cadavre Exquis]

Uber Says Waymo Autonomous Vehicles Outperforming 99% of Human Drivers in Austin
Posted by msmash on Wednesday May 07, 2025 @10:45AM from the how-about-that dept.

Waymo's autonomous vehicles operating on Uber's platform in Austin are completing more trips per day than over 99% of human drivers in the market, according to Uber's Q1 2025 earnings report [PDF] released Wednesday. The fleet of approximately 100 autonomous Waymo vehicles, launched exclusively on Uber in March, has "exceeded expectations," CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stated in the report.

He cited the performance to "Waymo's safety record and rider experience coupled with Uber's scale and reliability." Uber has rapidly expanded its autonomous vehicle operations, reaching an annual run-rate of 1.5 million mobility and delivery AV trips across its network. The company plans to scale to hundreds of vehicles in Austin in the coming months, while preparing for a launch in Atlanta by early summer. Khosrowshahi said that autonomous vehicle technology represents "the single greatest opportunity ahead for Uber."

Saludos.