I’ve always been envious of people who drive Land Rovers. I, personally, would never buy one because of the rumors that they’re in constant need of repairs – and costly ones at that. Even so, I think they’re beautiful, inside and out. And fun to drive. Until something goes wrong, that is.
When it comes to autonomous driving, however, the Land Rover has some decent qualities that engineers are keen on incorporating into their designs. Like their “go-anywhere capabilities.” As in, super durable and rugged, great for driving pretty much anywhere, in any terrain.
Because Land Rovers are known for these qualities, and current autonomous designs are completely missing the mark on ruggedness of any sort (even mud causes major issues), engineers are trying to autonomously recreate these qualities in their new research project.
The first part of the project is to properly identify and sense what’s happening on the road. Surface identification and path sensing help the car form an accurate picture of what it’s driving on, as well as obstacles along the way.
Ultrasonic sensors scan 16.4 feet ahead of the car in order to identify the road surface conditions, which then allows the self-driving car to automatically switch into the right mode before it reaches a new surface.
Why is this beneficial? Well, take sand, for example. When you’re driving on sand, stopping to change the cars settings could be the difference between getting stuck or maintaining enough momentum to make it through.
It’s important to not only know what’s lying on the road ahead, but also what your car is currently driving on. Land Rover will integrate stereo cameras used to form a 3D picture of the car’s path, sensing any overhanging branches, and warning the driver if necessary.
Another integration is one that will keep the driver and passengers comfortable for the whole ride, no matter what the terrain. The Terrain-Based Speed Adaptation (TBSA) system uses cameras to identify bumpy terrain, and then adjusts the vehicle’s speed to most effectively navigate, making for smoother ride across gravel or uneven trails.
Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is being utilized to keep cars and trucks connected at all times, both on and off the road. On the road, staying connected means steering clear of potential breaches between two cars, as well as enabling the vehicle to show you the way with the least amount of traffic. If a vehicle makes a sudden stop, other vehicles in line will be alerted. If a vehicles tire falls into a hole, the autonomous vehicles behind would be alerted and use the information to automatically adjust their settings or even change their route if need be.
These technologies are currently being tested as a part of Jaguar Land Rover’s autonomous all-terrain driving research project.