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--- en:safeav:softsys:autonomousgroundvehicles [2025/10/22 10:47] – rczyba
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 <caption>Autonomous Vehicles Market ((https://www.precedenceresearch.com/autonomous-vehicle-market))</caption>
 </figure>
+===== Autonomous vehicles in urban public transport =====
+The idea of autonomous vehicles is enjoying increasing popularity among drivers and passengers of passenger cars. This increased interest can also be observed in public transport. The need to move people and goods has accompanied humanity practically since its inception. Until now, however, there was a common element in every transportation plan – transport could not occur without the intervention of a human driver. This applied to all forms of transport: water, land, and air, as well as functions such as freight transport, cargo handling, vehicle and infrastructure maintenance, and responsibility for the provision of transport-related services. The emergence of autonomous vehicles on the market has presented a revolutionary approach in this context. Depending on the level of autonomy, the role of humans as supervisors overseeing the efficiency and safety of the journey has been significantly reduced or completely eliminated. In the dozen or so years since the first reports of autonomous vehicle testing, enormous progress has been made in this field, also focusing more broadly on autonomous vehicles in urban public transport.
+===== Progress in vehicle autonomy =====
+The 2000s significantly accelerated the development of autonomous vehicles. The US government funded research into ground vehicles for military purposes, intended to facilitate navigation on poor roads and avoid obstacles. In 2009, Google launched its own project exploring the capabilities of autonomous vehicles. In 2011, General Motors unveiled an electric car concept called the Electric Networked Vehicle (EN-V). A year later, in 2012, Volkswagen created a semi-automatic car pilot called TAP (Temporary Auto Pilot). TAP allowed for driving at speeds of up to 130 km/h. However, driving was designed in semi-automatic mode, as the project's goal was not to create a fully autonomous vehicle, but rather a driver assistance system to prevent car accidents, the main causes of which were driver fatigue and distraction. In 2014, a Mercedes car with a set of autonomous features appeared on the market. It was tested in both city and highway driving at a maximum speed of 200 km/h. Meanwhile, key automotive companies, including Audi, General Motors, and Volkswagen, continued or launched similar research projects of their own, attempting to create a fully autonomous car.
+===== Characteristics of autonomous vehicles in road transport =====
+Figure {{ref>Ref.Sensory_devices}} shows the components that make up an autonomous car - sensory devices that monitor and analyze the environment.
+<figure Ref.Sensory_devices>
+{{ :en:safeav:softsys:autonomous-levels-infographic-v2-720.png?600 |}}
+<caption>Sensory devices of an autonomous car ((https://www.aptiv.com/en/insights/article/what-are-the-levels-of-automated-driving))</caption>
+</figure>
+=== Radars ===
+The purpose of the radars is to continuously emit radio waves that help the system detect objects and obstacles. Depending on the designed target range of the transmitted waves, the following supporting functionality can be distinguished: short-range radar applications (24 GHz), which support blind spot monitoring, lane keeping and parking; and long-range radar sensors (77 GHz) responsible for braking assistance and distance control.
+=== Cameras ===
+Cameras are responsible for recording the vehicle's surroundings and interpreting objects and obstacles. They are designed to function similarly to the human eye. Modern technology allows for a full 360-degree field of view, provided the monitoring devices are properly deployed. Cameras with a long operating range (100 meters or more) can recognize road signs, calculate the distance to distant objects, classify objects, estimate the speed of moving objects, and observe roadsides. However, the drawback of these solutions is their variable reliability, as weather conditions can affect the system's interpretation.
+=== Lidars ===
+The final component described is a technology known as lidar (Light Detection and Ranging). Lidar allows for the recording and processing of information regarding the position of objects using laser light. The laser emits a beam of light (continuous or in the form of intermittent pulses), which is dispersed and then detected by the receiver's photosensitive elements. The processor analyzes the intensity of the reflected beam and its recording time, determining the object's position in space and the distance between the vehicle and the object. As with cameras, the appropriate arrangement of monitoring devices allows for a full range of observation (360 degrees of field of view). Lidar is the most expensive and reliable technology used in autonomous vehicles. This technology also holds the greatest promise for creating fully autonomous vehicles, requiring no human supervision.
+=== Advantages of autonomous vehicles ===
+Autonomous vehicles in urban public transport can have a positive impact on the environment. Using the increasingly popular driving technique known as eco-driving (smoother driving that puts less strain on the engine) can reduce vehicle emissions and save fuel.
+The idea of autonomous vehicles is fostering the widespread use of shared vehicles and/or shared travel costs, also known as car sharing.
+Another key advantage is ensuring a higher level of road safety. Computer-controlled driving would significantly reduce risky behavior (such as reckless driving or recklessness) on the road, and consequently, the number of people injured would be significantly reduced.
+Urban public transport is intended to facilitate travel for everyone, but a significant portion of society uses it are the elderly and people with disabilities. Using autonomous public transport not only increases the mobility of people with disabilities but also reduces social isolation and potential psychological distress.
+The widespread adoption of autonomous driving, including among passenger car drivers, will contribute to a significant reduction in congestion on public transport routes. The ability to constantly monitor the surroundings and other vehicles, as well as the ability to adapt appropriately to the traffic situation, contributes to improving the situation.
+Given the changing purchasing patterns, a growing number of courier companies and food delivery companies are interested in the idea of autonomous vehicles.
+=== Disadvantages of autonomous vehicles ===
+An ethical issue – as studies have shown, users are more willing to forgive the error of a human driver than an autonomous vehicle.
+Another drawback may be the legislative process designed to adapt legislation to the requirements and realities of autonomous transport. Current regulations stipulate that every vehicle operating independently on the road must have a driver present, as well as the driver's obligation to maintain constant control of the vehicle. In the future, this provision would need to be amended to accommodate autonomous driving. A proper transfer of responsibility for potential road accidents would also be necessary. In cases where the vehicle is fully controlled by a computer, identifying the perpetrator becomes problematic. Legislators would be forced to determine who bears ultimate responsibility for any system errors.
+An organizational drawback is the need to thoroughly scan the areas where autonomous road traffic is to be introduced. Detailed maps must be created based on the scanned areas, which will be processed by localization systems based on the previously mentioned systems such as Lidar, cameras, and radars. Such an undertaking involves enormous costs and liability.

en/safeav/softsys/autonomousgroundvehicles.1761130054.txt.gz · Last modified: 2025/10/22 10:47 by rczyba