Engineer James Long describes the effect of the technology he's working on as "a bit like X-ray vision." The program, which has been in operation for three years, is run by a consortium including Nissan, Hitachi Europe, the Transport Research Lab, and the University of Nottingham. The project uses Nissan's electric Leaf model. Every car is equipped with cameras and sensors, most of which are bolted to the roof rack of the completely ordinary vehicle. The Bootstrap is packed full of computers and electronics, although it all looks pretty rough.
Following a circuit between roundabouts on the road-tried A206, it feels smooth and controlled. Sitting in the backseat, it's successful enough to make you forget that the car is self-guiding. This precision is aided by precise 3D mapping, highly sensitive GPS, radar, and guidance systems using Lidar, a laser-based detection method.
Over the past three years, ServCity's cars have driven nearly 1,600 miles autonomously without serious incidents - but on each trip, a safety driver was in a position to take control if needed. "What we're trying to do is expand the boundaries of autonomous driving," said David Moss, Nissan's senior vice president of research and development in the UK and Europe. “We want to improve,” he said.
Self-driving vehicle trials are nothing new. There are even commercial services that use them as tightly controlled taxis in some cities in the US, China, and South Korea. However, this project is particularly focused on finding ways to use roadside infrastructure such as traffic cameras to raise awareness of the car and make them drive more smoothly.
Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65036895
