General Motors is poised to release a production-ready autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel and pedals in 2019. The car, to be named the Cruise AV, is a Chevrolet Bolt EV?based self-driving car that relies on technology developed by the Detroit-based automaker and Cruise Automation, a self-driving startup that GM acquired nearly two years ago.
With a goal of eliminating crashes and traffic congestion, the Cruise AV is fitted with five lidar sensors, 16 cameras, and 21 radars. The information procured from the systems allows the Cruise AV to create a three-dimensional model of its surroundings. Additionally, the array of radars, cameras, and sensors let the self-driving car anticipate the movements of surrounding objects and predict multiple driving paths, which allows the Cruise AV to change course quickly should an object cross the Cruise AV’s intended path. Thanks to machine learning and a shared database, each individual Cruise AV will be able to share the knowledge it gains on the road with the rest of the Cruise AV fleet. As such, GM’s autonomous hatchback can accrue new insights as the group of self-driving hatchbacks rack up additional miles. GM fits the Cruise AV with a host of redundant systems as a means of ensuring passenger safety. Should any sensor, electrical component, or drive system fail, a second unit is prepared to take over at a moment’s notice. On the off chance that both units fail, the Cruise AV can pull off the road and ...