Google Self- driving cars have gone to the next level,
Mr. Chris Urmson (the project head of fully autonomous cars) states, we at Google have high hopes with the self-driving vehicles, it will give new meaning to driving. However the critics have pointed out some flaws of vehicles.
The recent trials have found out that Google cars are too calculative and cautious in real world situation. Instead, they should react in a more natural way of driving. The programmers at Google are working hard on autonomous vehicles to ensure that they behave like human while driving.
The wall street journal highlighted that Google cars react in unnatural and awkward way to respond to oncoming road obstructions. Instead they should respond naturally to road obstructions. The two of Wall Street Journal reporters had accompanied the Google team for a test drive of Google Lexus RX450h, self-driving vehicle.
The reports have evident couple of incidents where self-driving vehicle slowed down apparently for no reason. In one incident, Google Lexus car applied a break by anticipating that the car from behind may hit but in reality that hitting never happened. In another incident, Google Lexus waited at T-intersection for about 30 seconds, but stopped itself in the middle of the road while making a left turn, the Google Lexus anticipated that the woman is coming to cross the roads whereas she was going for a sidewalk on the same road.
Google’s aim is to programme a vehicle in such way that self-driving vehicle will involve human like instinct while applying brakes. The experts at Google argue, the human motorists have more vulnerable driving practices and open to take risks whereas our cars have been programmed to take precautionary measure to avoid accidents on roads.
In total Google’s self-driving vehicles have been found in 16 known accidents, however 12 of out these 16 accidents involved hit in the rear-end of the vehicle by other motorists whereas Google self-driving vehicle was stationary. So Google experts don’t blame awkward braking systems for such accidents.
The Google team is working hard that self-driving car would follow the pattern of other motorists on the road and behave like them, For Instance if the other motorists treat the intersection as a four way stop, the Google car will use the same methodology as the motorists use to cross the intersection.
The other issue includes turning and crossing the parked car on the roads by changing lane. Initially the Google car was not programmed to change the lane for crossing parked car on the road but now Google team has incorporated a programme to identify the parked car and cross by changing the lane.
In short, Google’s team is working hard to ensure that the self-driving vehicles behave and act like every day driving situation. The autonomous vehicles are not supposed to act and react perfectly instead they should behave like a human on the roads, this is the ultimate challenge for Google.