GOOGLE SELF-DRIVEN CAR THESIS
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 GOOGLE SELF-DRIVEN CAR
The Google self-driven car is an automated car that operates automatically with no physical human input. It is a project developed by Google Company that involves the development of technology in automated vehicles mostly the electric type of vehicles. The software responsible for the management of the vehicle in its operations is the Google chauffeur. The project is under the management of a Google engineer Sebastian Thrun. He is an experienced engineer who previously worked for ...view middle of the document...
Moreover, the on-board systems in conjunction to some available computation are put in use on the remote computer farms. The progressive nature of the development of the vehicle has enabled the developers to invent Google cars that are steer less and controlled without the presence of an individual in the vehicle (MARKOFF, 2010). The development comes from an era when the automated cars have a designated driver who was tasked in intervening in case the Google vehicle has some technicalities. The success of the project however has been faced with some difficulties that come with the vehicles. Such difficulties have led to constant public outcry of the public as they fear for their lives. In this essay, we will comprehensively analyze the advantages of such Google problems and the disadvantages of such vehicles and later weigh both of them. In addition, we will check how the constraints and the barriers that affect the Google self-driven car project affect the customers buying habits and decisions.
1.2 Problem Statement
The technological nature of the Google self-driven car makes it have its shortcomings just like any other technological advancement that is present in the current world. Such shortcomings may be overlooked or put under serious consideration depending on the effects it may have to the targeted fields. In our case the Google self-driven car deals with the transportation of human beings whose life can be in jeopardy when there is any malfunction in the vehicle. As a result, any slight problem can lead to accidents that put the lives of human beings at risk.
Over the process of development of the Google self-driven car, it is evident that there are shortcomings such as the inability of the Google self-driven car used in some weather conditions. They include snowy conditions or rainy conditions. As such the Velodyne 64- beam laser used as a camera cannot produce the high-definition images that are vital for the controlling of such automated vehicles. Such unfavorable weather conditions reduce the scope in which the automated vehicles can be used and in addition it leads to inconveniences that would not be present if the manually driven vehicles are in use.
In addition, there is the issue of failure of recognizing the new landmarks that may be absent from the Google map. As such it leads to difficulties in the management of the automated vehicles. The Google cars vary in the way they handle the omissions. Such exhibited behavior include slowing down or stopping of the vehicle if located on the on-board sensors detecting any traffic or object in the path of the vehicle. The Google vehicles in addition can to various stop signs that are not in the location in the map. Such a feature was put in use to ensure that the automated vehicles could deal with the temporary signs present in the construction sites. In a more complex environment, the cars will experience various difficulties since the successive obstacles and...
