Automobile companies are working on many different concepts of self-driving cars. Waymo has relied on in-house expertise to work on the core technology of the company’s self-driving technology. The company also builds computer hardware, which is used for autonomous decision making and sensor fusion, pathfinding and many other functions. Waymo has joined hands with Intel to make perfect chips that power the computing ability onboard in self-driving cars.
Waymo’s new tech is in co-operation with Intel
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Waymo’s latest gen Chrysler minivans are its best self-driving platform as yet. It has Intel-based computing to control everything – from sensor processing to connectivity, which actually is the basis of the company’s autonomy. This feature allows self-driving feature in city conditions too. Intel too has revealed its plans to work together with Waymo, to increase the self-driving system’s overall power. This collaboration would help Waymo to achieve autonomy levels 4, 5 in various driving conditions. This would be true for applications in the real world, transcending the test conditions.
Intel’s venture into the self-driving sector
Intel’s collaboration with Waymo is an example of its ambition to be at the helm of latest developments in software, including the self-driving autonomous cars segment. This actually is a large portion of its business, though it is only associated with their PC segment. Intel’s work with Waymo began in 2009, when Waymo was still a part of Google’s self-driving initiative.
Intel’s chips have helped Waymo to process the data from the cumulative miles driven by the self-driving fleet of Waymo. According to Waymo’s CEO, the company’s self-driving automobiles need high performing computing which can lead to safe self-driving real time decisions. The efficiency and excellence of Intel’s technology is the perfect companion which supports the advanced processing requirements of the autonomous vehicles of Waymo. The vehicles manufactured by Waymo need special software which Intel has the expertise and knowhow to develop.
Design collaboration
Waymo and Intel collaborated to create a design, which was essential to developing the Waymo unique computing. This design was built from scratch, and it will be used in the autonomous software and the sensor stack.
Waymo’s key advantages in self-driving technology
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The self-driving sector has become increasingly competitive with many automakers jumping in to make a mark. Waymo has an advantage over its competition due to the many years of experimentation and experience of working on self-driving technology. But the biggest advantage it has over its rivals is the hardware, which is built in-house, and the computing ability plus the sensor suite, which it developed with Intel. These details allow Waymo to fashion a unique tailor-made experience for the user, and also to deliver maximum effeciency. Waymo has designed its autonomous fleet which can drive in almost any condition.
The Chrysler minivans, designed with Intel’s help, are self-driving automobiles. They have integrated Intel technology that makes them function on an optimum level. The cars of the future, according to Intel’s CEO, would be completely self-driven. They’ll completely eliminate the need of the driver’s input.
Autonomous cars being developed by three Indian IITs
Indian engineers have also jumped in the race to build self-driving cars. The three top technology schools are harnessing the engineering talent to build self-driving automobiles. IIT Kanpur, Kharagpur and Bombay are working to find autonomous solutions for vehicles in India. This project has drawn a lot of attention from car manufacturers in the country.
The IITians are developing autonomous tech keeping in mind the Indian car market, which is in contrast to global car giants manufacturing self-driving cars suited to driving conditions of the western world.
The research and development by the IIT scientists is commendable, as it proves that the nation has enough talent and expertise necessary to build self-driving cars from scratch. Manufacturing self-driving cars for Indian roads is a big challenge, in the absence of civic sense and proper infrastructure. According to IIT Bombay students, an autonomous solution which is successful in India, is sure to be successful in less challenging driving environments abroad.
Watching movies, working on that important presentation or relaxing with the latest book while your car drives itself, is soon going to be reality. Looking at the time wasted in driving, self-driving cars will reduce or eliminate driving time in the future, and give you a relaxed, stress free commute.
