Zero2Turbo
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram RSS
    Zero2Turbo
    • Home
    • Contact
    • Videos
      Featured

      New Lamborghini Countach Gets Lowering Kit and Aftermarket Wheels

      By Zero2TurboJanuary 31, 2023
      Recent

      New Lamborghini Countach Gets Lowering Kit and Aftermarket Wheels

      January 31, 2023

      Aston Martin Reveals Most Powerful DBS Ever The DBS 770 Ultimate

      January 18, 2023

      Hennessey Reveal Track-Focused 1,817 HP (1,355 kW) Venom F5 Revolution

      January 9, 2023
    • South Africa
    • Zero2Turbo Telegram
    Zero2Turbo
    Home»Zero2Turbo»Cartography Catastrophe: The Issues With Autonomous Mapping
    Zero2Turbo

    Cartography Catastrophe: The Issues With Autonomous Mapping

    By Zero2TurboMarch 2, 2018Updated:March 7, 2018No Comments
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp
    Share
    Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram

    By now, most people have a basic grasp of how autonomous cars function. They use a bevy of technology — specifically cameras, sonar, and radar — to develop an image of their surroundings; then, they have an on-board computer study their options and make choices about how to proceed. Vehicles aren’t the only devices to analyze data and make decisions; most businesses have Big Data crunchers that assist in evaluation. The difference with cars is the speed with which they must act: Observing surroundings, calculating risks, determining the correct course, and acting all must occur in split seconds as vehicles zoom down busy roads and highways.

     

     

    Thus, to make the task of collecting and analyzing data easier and quicker, most autonomous vehicles rely on pre-generated maps, like 3-D Google Maps stored on cars’ hard drives. The problem is that these detailed maps do not exist for most locations around the globe, so before autonomous vehicles can take off, someone needs to perform this extensive cartography — but who?

    What Needs to Be Mapped

    First, it’s important to consider what, exactly needs to be included on these maps. The data required by a driverless car is extensive; typically, experts break it into three levels of information about the vehicle’s surroundings:

    • The location. The car needs to know where it can find the road, the sidewalk, trees, and other pathways and obstacles.
    • The rules. The car needs to know laws like speed limits as well as how traffic signals work in the region.
    • The behavior. The car needs know the typical behavior of drivers in the area, so it can blend seamlessly with other cars on the road.

    Because all sorts of non-physical data are included in the map, experts are hesitant to call them “maps” at all. However, there is some disagreement on what the maps are if they aren’t maps. Wei Luo, chief operating officer at DeepMap, prefers to discuss the information as software, whereas Ralf Herrtwich, head of automotive maps at HERE, tends to refer to it as “collective memory.” Regardless, everyone involved in the map-making is finding the process exceedingly difficult.

    How to Generate the Maps

    It seems as though these maps should be created the same way maps have always been created: through painstaking research. Unfortunately, despite the attempts to apply artificial intelligence to the task, it seems that painstaking research is still required. AI should speed up generation and improve accuracy, but the technology is still lacking; often, humans are needed to review the AI’s work and revise glaring and dangerous mistakes. It is laborious, time-consuming, and expensive — and the competition for the work is fierce.

    Undeniably, Google is the dominant player in consumer digital maps; Google Maps is active on more than 1 billion devices, which doesn’t include computer searches. However, neither Google nor its parent Alphabet, Inc. has emerged as a frontrunner in the race for 3-D autonomous vehicle mapping. Its stiff competition includes companies like Uber, TomTom, Ford, and General Motors as well as less-recognizable entities like DeepMap, HERE, Mobileye, and Mapbox. It’s anyone’s game — which is only making the task of generating and standardizing the maps that much harder.

    A primary problem with the maps is their size: All that information takes up space, and vehicle trunks simply aren’t large enough. Some autonomous carmakers are attempting to circumvent this issue by simplifying the data; others are restricting cars to certain geographical areas, a process called geofencing, so cars only need so much data. As yet, there is no industry standard, and the process of adding new information (or updating old information) only compounds the issue.

    Changes to the maps must be physically placed in each car’s hard drive. Thus, updates can only be as fast as engineers’ sneakers as they move from place to place. Because even the slow, centimeters-per-year shifting of the tectonic plates can disrupt an autonomous car’s map catastrophically, and because autonomous cars will need to access new data frequently, the issue of updating is a major one.

    It’s unlikely that so many competitors will find success in the small industry of autonomous mapping. Sooner or later, a large fleet of autonomous vehicles will use fast, accurate maps that are easily updated, and that fleet will dominate the sphere. Until then, it will be thrilling to watch the battle rage over this important tech of the future.

    Share. Facebook Email Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram
    Previous ArticleTop Tips for Maintaining Your Car
    Next Article The Necessity for Car Insurance

    Related Posts

    738 HP (550 kW) BMW XM Red Label Has Registered For Pikes Peak Hill Climb

    February 3, 2023

    McLaren 750S Will Be Their Last Non-Hybrid Supercar

    February 2, 2023

    Ferrari Has Filed A Patent For Performance Boosting Gas Thrusters

    February 2, 2023

    Scared to Drive? 4 Tips to Get Used to Driving on the Road

    February 2, 2023

    New Report Suggests Mercedes Going To Axe 19 Bodystyles Including AMG GT 4-Door Coupé

    February 2, 2023

    Bugatti Chiron Profilée Becomes Most Expensive New Car Ever Sold At Auction

    February 2, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Popular Posts
    • Next Mercedes-AMG E63 Set To Drop V8 For Straight-Six Hybrid
    • New Lamborghini Countach Gets Lowering Kit and Aftermarket Wheels
    • Audi South Africa Expands EV Charging Network Including First 200 kW Ultra-Fast Charger
    • One-Off Bugatti Chiron Profilée Heads To Auction This Week
    • Lamborghini Aventador Successor Gets Superb Looking Render

    Latest Instagram Photos
    • The Audi RS3 is one of two ultimate ‘mega hatches’, and probably the best of the breed. Its astonishing pace and theatrical engine combine with huge grip and more of a driver focus than previous generations. It’s also a brilliant daily.

Are you parting with R1.3m (or more) for one? Let us know in the comments below.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #Z2TDriven #Audi #RS3Sportback #AudiRS3Sportback 

Are you parting with R1.3m (or more)?
    • Menacing Frozen Brooklyn Grey Metallic BMW M4 CSL sold by @bmwbryanston spotted in Linksfield recently by @thomasovitale 😎

Just 15 of these came into the country priced at R3.57m.

Would you prefer this or the freshly revealed M3 CS?

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #BMW #M4CSL #FrozenBrooklynGreyMetallic
    • The BMW i4 M50 is quite possibly the best EV we have had the pleasure of testing.

It's superbly comfortable but at the simple touch of a button, it switches from tourer to tornado and you find yourself instantly doing speeds you should not be doing.

While not all EVs will have the same refinement or scintillating performance, this was both relaxing and thrilling to drive.

The Gran Coupé is a handsome car with a sense of sleek length and disguises its hatchback as a booted saloon rear end and that M Portimao Blue metallic paint certainly garnered a lot of positive attention.

Compared with the BMW iX it’s less of a show-stopper, but comes with a much more attractive price tag – and while the i4 is still quite the financial investment (R1,6m) we feel it gives you excellent value in return.

Yes, we did have a few charging issues (Eskom) and if you don't have a Wallbox charger at home filling up with petrol is MUCH easier. However, that being said if you’re looking for an outstanding driving experience both on the twisties and on the highway, this is definitely worth considering if you have decided to make the jump to the electric car.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #BMW #i4M50 #Z2TDriven #BMWi4M50
    • The totally bonkers Ferrari 812 Competizione was spotted in Bryanston today by Brad Ainge.

It actually makes the F12tdf look quite tame in comparison. Which would you rather have?

Priced around R14m depending on spec.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #Ferrari #812Comp
    • Welcome the Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4MATIC to SA 🇿🇦

Front and rear motors delivering 350 kW and 858 Nm of torque for a 100km/h sprint in 4.2s and a WLTP range of up to 535km.

Pricing is estimated to be R2,200,000.

#ExoticSpotSA #Zero2Turbo #SouthAfrica #MercedesAMG #EQE43
    • Our time has come to an end with the most potent version of Mzansi’s favourite bakkie, the new Toyota Hilux GR-Sport.

The 2.8-litre turbo diesel powerplant has been tweaked to push out 165kW and 550 Nm thanks to an updated ECU which also responsible for the much needed revised mapping of the six-speed auto.

The sporty Hilux gets new monotube shocks as well as stiffer coil springs which make the bakkie a lot more settled at higher speed and provide great feedback on some of the twisty bits. If you don’t have a full load at the back however, you might find it a tad too stiff and rather twitchy for day to day driving. 

Inside you get a load of sporty touches including “carbon fibre” trim pieces but the highlight has to be the race inspired front seats complete with Alcantara inserts and some GR badging on the headrests. 

For the Hilux customers, this is a welcome addition to the range as the exterior and interior aesthetics align very neatly with the GR brand.

Yours from R891,400. Are you picking this or the Legend RS?

#Z2TDriven #Toyota #HiluxGRSport #Hilux #GRSport

    Follow Us

    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube RSS
    Designed by Zero2Turbo.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.