Felipe Bento

Dr Monica Jacobe

USA 470

Google self-car driving

The first car with gasoline engine was developed by Carl Benz in Europe at 1879. It was a very

simple car with an engine that has one cylinder and could fit two or three people in the car.

Today, the Google project is a revolutionary car because it unnecessary a driver. Google self-car

is a project that tries creating a car with laser sensor, camera, software of high performance and a

computer and it set together can drive in streets or high ways. The passengers are free to do

anything you want along the way. In this essay, I will describe the Google's project and the

history since 1939 when its project started. I will then discuss statistic of traffic and show that

humans are bad drivers. As well as show the benefits the Google's car will be improved for

people in worldwide.

The idea about a self-car traveling roads around the world start in 1939 during New York

World's Fair where visitors were presented a vision of automated highways. In 2000, 60 years

after the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) realized the Grand Challenges

where was realized a competition between teams and challenge proposed was to create a self-

driving vehicle. In 2009, the Google's dream indeed started, including team members who had

already dedicated years to the technology. The first car used was a Toyota Prius on freeways in

California. In 2012, research change the car for Lexus LX450H and in this point the project has

300.000 miles of testing in freeway. The Lexus was used to test in a city street and much more

complex environment than freeways. December of 2014 is data that the first prototype really

created for google was done and now the prototype was in test for improved. The prototype 2014

has a cam with sensor lasers, radars and cameras detect objects in all directions and the shape

maximize field of sensor. The interior was projected for riding and not for driving. Is an

electrical car and the computer and battery was developed exclusively for Google Car. Adding

all miles traveled by all self-car test since 2009 in streets of Mountain View, California and

Austin, Texas result in 1 million miles.

In the project’s website the project is described like: “We've taught our cars to navigate through

many complicated scenarios on city streets. Our cars use their sensors and software to sense

objects like pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles and more, and are designed to safely drive around

them”. Like a human driver the self-car need process information and get answers. The first

question is “Where am I?”, the car quickly process information where it is using map and sensor.

The cars know what street were it is and where line it is needed to go. Second, question is

“What's around me?”. For answer this question the car use sensor for available anything around.

The software classifies all objects based in the data and in the size, shape and movement pattern.

Software is capable differentiate a pedestrian and a cyclist, children and a dog, ball, other car,

bird. After, the question is “What will happen next?”. Computer process data come from sensor,

analyses and can predict next move of object like a cyclist will ride by and the pedestrian will

cross the street. Last question “What should I do?”, the computer choose a safe speed for the car

that can keep distance of cyclist or stop if the computer understands that a pedestrian want cross

the street.

Many times the humans drink to drive, drive with sleepy, talk in cellphone during driving and

other imprudence in traffic. Imprudence on traffic results in car crash, trampling people which

cause a death drivers and pedestrians. Often innocent people's death because bad drivers.

According to Chris Urmson during presentation in TED, around the world 1.2 million people are

killed every year in traffic. The statistic by NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration) shows that in America average 30.000 people's death every year in the traffic. A

paper crated by Eno Center of Transportation show that car crash is primary cause of death

worldwide for people aged 15-24.

The data about traffic demonstrate how the humans are bad driver. Another thing is that people

have sentiments, have day that not feeling well, are tired of working, not sleep well during night,

but need drive. These things change the psychological and can be driver cause a car crash or a

pedestrian cross the street without attention. The Google's car is a machine and not has

sentiments its psychological is unalterable. The car is safe and will avoid accident due to sleep,

tired or distraction.

The project will improve our life, not only self-indulgence, but safe driving. Fewer people will

die because car crash around the word. For Matthew W. Brault 45% of disabled people in

America continue work and go to the job many times is a problem. The car will be end with

parking because the car can come to house after leaving a people to destination. Ecologically

correct because not use gas of petroleum is electrical car. The elderly will get around without

problems; they can go to shop, visit friends or their grandchildren. Long trip will can be easily

and during trip will be possible to do anything like a reading a book, use the computer, talk with

phone or admire the scenery.

Initially Google has a dream, but now the car unnecessary driver is really. In a few years the car

will be making trips around US. The innovator project will decrease accidents and lessen die in

highway. New business can be created, like self-drive taxi or ambulance service that can go in

our house after we call to specific number. In my opinion, the car needs a system that enables

work off line mode case end energy or any problem happen with the system. After its car start

selling is normal that other company start new project and the car becomes safer and the people

accept this car like a normal car. Still early to talk that its car will substitute the normal car and

the people will not need to drive. However we are sure that technology will be even more present

in highway.

Reference

[1] How a Driverless Car Sees the Road. TED. 1 Mar. 2015. Web. 8 Aug. 2015.

[2] Fatality Analysis Reporting System.FARS Encyclopedia. 2013. Web. 8 Aug. 2015.

[3] Fagnant, Daniel J., and Kara Kockelman. "Preparing a Nation for Autonomous Vehicles:

Opportunities, Barriers and Policy Recommendations." Transportation Research Part A: Policy

and Practice (2013): 20 n.page. Web. 8 Aug. 2015.

[4] Google Self-Driving Car. Google Self-Driving Car Project. 2014 Web. 5 Aug. 2015.

[5] Brault, Matthew. "Americans With Disabilities: 2010." U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration. U.S. CENSUS BUREAU (2012). Web. 8 Aug. 2015.