Nevada:frst state to adopt future of the automobile

Nevada, only became the first state to legalize robotic cars that drive. Watch for cars branded Google bot on your next trip to Las Vegas.

A fleet of vehicles, each test marked by a red, are showing how well the cars can drive.

"Nevada is the first state to adopt what is undoubtedly the future of the automobile," said Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles director Bruce Breslow. Several other states, including Florida and Oklahoma, are considering following the example Nevada, and manufacturers that include BMW and Audi cars are to explore automation.

If Breslow is right, and soon robotic cars on the road, what will be the Chicago of the future? The short answer is "different."

The researchers see interesting perspectives in robotic cars - things like fewer accidents, reduced traffic and vehicle access for groups previously unable to drive, including children and the elderly.

Much of the technology driving the cars to be used will be familiar to today's drivers - GPS to determine the routes and a hub of sensors to identify obstacles in the way. There will be new technologies like wireless communications between vehicles and the routes used to manage traffic.

Intersections as we know, is ripe for change. Peter Stone, associate professor of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin, considering the end of the traffic lights.

"The cars would be able to coordinate to the next level," he said. "They will be able to call ahead at an intersection and reserve a time to cross, crossing effective at specific times"

Vehicle moving from east to west not lined up waiting their turn to go north and south of the traffic stop. Instead, the cars passing through all sides at all times, almost no interruption or slowdown passing other cars. They could be programmed to encourage travel by bus or car sharing, providing priority reservations.

The use of similar control mechanisms, all multi-lane road or one-way street will become a fast-track change throughout the day. Instead of the Kennedy Expressway highways reverse its bid in response to peak flow paths can change at any time based on traffic patterns, route changes instantly the car intending to enter a sense.

"A four-lane highway could have two lanes going in each direction, but the change to three going in one direction and mutual assistance if the traffic has called for it," said Pierre.

The benefits are twofold: a dynamic traffic management to significantly reduce and prevent stop-start traffic will improve gas mileage and reduce greenhouse emissions.

But traffic is not the same problem it is today, Stone said. Autonomous cars are much more accurate and would not need both the distance between the cars. Human beings follow the "three-second rule", the placement of three seconds of reaction time between your car and those who follow. Robot Cars respond more quickly, reducing the space required between vehicles and increased car that could be on the road at a time.

Parking in Wrigleyville night game time would be less of a nightmare. Self-driving cars could drop a passenger off at the order of magnitude and find their parking miles away from themselves, to return when the driver called. Stone said it could significantly reduce the number of cars that need a city. Zipcar programs, such as car-sharing could become much more sensitive, with cars that drive themselves may pick up passengers if necessary, then return to a community pool.

Pierre said he believes the robotic car head start is not comfort or convenience. Instead, the best reason to use automated vehicle safety could be

"Ninety-five percent of accidents are human error related," said Pierre.

The irony is that the perceived lack of security in the robotic car is one of the main obstacles to the future robot car. An opening of its program Zinger Wednesday, Stephen Colbert reference to the guidelines of Nevada test autonomous vehicles as "nothing [Nevada] do not gamble."

There is an alternative to cars through fully automated. At Audi, famous for "Shelley", the automated car climbed Pike in 2010, the strategy is to use the same technologies as a support (not replace) drivers.

"We really do not see or autonomous robotic vehicles," said Brian Stertz, corporate communications manager for Audi of America. "We see it as a" pilot "driving".

Unlike Peter, who said he considered that cars stress robotic traffic as analogous to the experience of riding on a train, compared with the Audi Stertz vision to fly a plane. More modern aircraft to fly themselves, but still require the guidance of a pilot who can fly the plane if necessary.

"Deer still jump across the road," said Stertz. "I maintain that you still have the drivers."

However, many of the benefits that Peter sees fully automated cars, Stertz those seen in the automated part. There would still be a wireless communication between cars dynamically influencing traffic. Cars could not travel long distances to park, but still be able to leave a corridor while cruising a parking lot to find their own space. And go to security applications just as impressive.

Audi will use the technology of the same sensors that guide the conduct of a private car to prevent drivers aware of their surroundings and use among board communications to alert drivers if another car came around a blind corner .

The automaker has proven fully automated robotic car DARPA Challenge for cars began in 2004 - although it plans to sell only those controlled. Powered or without driver, Stertz said he was impressed by the progress even automatic cars in such a short time.

"When we started this with the DARPA Challenge, which was really science fiction," he said. "Now we are integrating technology in our cars.