Posted on Jul 9, 2020 at 11:51 a.m.Updated on Jul 9, 2020 at 12h53
“I am extremely confident that this year we will have the basic functionality of level 5 autonomous driving, which is basically full range. I think it will happen very quickly, ”said Elon Musk in a video message at the opening of the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence (WAIC) in Shanghai.
Tesla’s general manager confirms the goal he set for himself in 2019 – to put on the road a car capable of driving without people behind the wheel. If Waymo also seems very advanced in the field, the Californian manufacturer of electric cars has made his “Autopilot” a commercial and technological spearhead.
Autonomous race
The robot car race has been shaking up global tech giants – Californians and Chinese – for several years, as well as car manufacturers. All anticipate an extremely lucrative autonomous vehicle market, notably thanks to passenger transport.
As a reminder, the industry has still not obtained the necessary authorizations for a vehicle to circulate so that a human can have their hands on the wheel, and experts in artificial intelligence and robotics remain skeptical at times. short or medium term ability to operate a car on its own in any situation.
Tesla became in June the world’s largest car market value , its action having been carried by delivery figures higher than expected. The Californian brand is now worth more than $ 250 billion, more than the giants of the Toyota and Volkswagen sectors.
The five levels of the autonomous car
1 Driving assistance
The first level makes it possible to simplify an emergency maneuver (ABS type), regulate the speed by adapting to the vehicles around us, or even to alert the exit of lanes and blind spots.
2 A steering function
The car can manage distances, center the vehicle in the lane. It is an assistance that combines acceleration and direction control.
3 Letting go
Authorized in certain countries, but not in France, the driver can let go of the steering wheel on expressways or in traffic jams.
4 The driver no longer supervises driving
The driver is in the vehicle, can take the wheel when he wants, but can do something else.
5 A driverless car
There is no driver, the car drives itself.
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