Bosch begins testing its autonomous driving systems

The German company Bosch has begun testing its autonomous driving systems, with a view to implementing them in real traffic within a relatively short period of time.

These are the first tests carried out in open traffic, with the aim of accelerating the development of these autonomous systems and achieving a complete unification of all driver assistance systems.

The first tests are being carried out on German motorways, which means checking the systems in the situation with the lowest workload, since there is no oncoming traffic and there are no pedestrians. In this first phase of development, autonomous driving is achieved through three systems working together: adaptive cruise control (ACC), a lane keeping assist, and a lane change assist. All of them are controlled by a camera with a 360º field of view.

The results of these tests will serve to automate driver assistance systems more and more. In a first stage, this could lead to the development of a “traffic jam pilot“, designed to fully automate driving in slow-moving traffic, at low speeds and with constant stopping. The results obtained will also help to evolve evasive manoeuvre and emergency braking systems.

Although these tests are at relatively advanced stages of development, they are not free from faults. For this reason, the tests must be carried out under the supervision of expert drivers capable of reacting very quickly to critical situations in which the automated systems may not respond as they should.

Source | Bosch