Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have logged their 100th kilometer (62 miles) on public roads in a self-driving car. Achieved in an industrial area of Waterloo, it is the culmination of almost two years of work since the research team won approval from the Ontario government to do on-road testing in an autonomous vehicle pilot program.
“We’re pulling this off and 100km is symbolic of that,” said Krzysztof Czarnecki, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Waterloo. “It’s a number you can’t reach without having a robust system.”
Nicknamed the Autonomoose, the modified Lincoln MKZ hybrid sedan at the heart of the initiative is equipped with nine cameras, lidar and radar scanners, and other sensory devices that gather data for processing by sophisticated on-board computer software. The car travels in autonomous mode on public roads at a top speed of 35km/h (56mph), negotiating intersections and light traffic for up to 2km (1.2 miles) at a time without intervention by a driver seated behind the wheel at all times.
Next steps include reducing the number of human interventions, or takeovers, improving perception of other vehicles and pedestrians, and refining the artificial intelligence required for the car’s autonomy software to make complex decisions and maneuvers on its own. The project also involves research into the unique challenges of autonomous driving in winter weather.
A longer-term goal involves developing the high-definition 3D maps and capabilities required for Autonomoose to drive itself to campus through signaled intersections in all kinds of traffic from a test track several kilometers away.
“We always have to plan for unexpected issues,” said Czarnecki. “Everything takes longer than anticipated. There is still a lot of tuning needed and development to follow up on, but for us this is a huge achievement. When we did our first road test, the system was really just a fundamental subset of what we have now.”
