Ford Hoping to Further Automated Driving Research

Ford, MIT and Stanford have teamed up to create research projects for automated driving. Ford envisions a future of autonomous functionality and advanced technologies after 2025. MIT is focusing on scenario planning to predict the actions of other pedestrians and vehicles. Stanford is researching how a vehicle can maneuver to allow sensors to peek around other types of obstructions.

Ford Motor Company has officially launched its Fusion hybrid automated research vehicle featuring a rooftop LiDAR system that sees and maps the world in real time 3-D, including people and other bodies in motion. The jutting instruments, sensors, and twirling cylinders give the research vehicle the tools it needs to gather all the vital information. Ford’s new self-directed vehicle has two spinning cylinders on each side of the car. The cylinders hold unique light detection sensors. One cylinder on each side slopes. This enables the vehicle to detect objects closer to its sides than on previous models.

The Fusion houses some additional communications systems in the trunk, and an optical camera has been added to document and analyze the automobile’s function. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is four scanning infrared light sensors, that can scan the road at 2.5 million times per second. It illuminates a target and calculates distance from the reflected light. LiDAR is one of several sensing technologies automakers are experimenting with to identify the surroundings of a vehicle and help pinpoint the car’s location.

Exact knowledge of a car's location will help carmakers deliver an accurate and smooth driving experience. If the project is successful, vehicle accidents could be largely reduced, and drivers would also save money on insurance.

Ford’s goal is to provide the research vehicle with common sense. For example, if a car slams on its breaks, the vehicle behind it could evaluate the area, find any surrounding objects and decide how best to safely maneuver out of the way to avoid an accident. All of this is to improve technology and further the development of automated driving. Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and Vice President says “Working with university partners like MIT and Stanford enables us to address some of the longer-term challenges surrounding automate driving while exploring more near-term solutions for delivering an even safer and more efficient driving experience.”

For more than a hundred years, automobile makers have improved the performance, production and technology of their products. The technological innovations now unfolding were just a vision a few years ago. Many technologies are emerging before our eyes that we never before thought were possible.

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