Bosch, Daimler, BMW executives see chances for selfdriving cars

They also say that no-one desires to eliminate the pleasure of being behind the wheel.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche stressed the next point during the world premiere of the MercedesBenz S class in May. He said the automaker's flagship sedan "marks the beginning of the age of partly sovereign driving." According to the CHIEF Executive, the best aim is to eliminate the elements of driving but keep the pleasure. "We will never automate the great section of driving... the uncool part, however, we are able to do without," he said during the auto's start.

Wolf-Henning Scheider, who manages Robert Bosch's chassis systems unit, agrees with Zetsche's evaluation. "There are lots of circumstances where you have actual enjoyment driving and you need to drive. However there are also driving situations where you feel that could use this time for some other issues," he said in an interview.

"We need a minimum of two sensors to measure the same thing and then assess between them. And there's definitely still some development crucial to have both in place; they aren't prepared."

Another barrier to conquer is making certain the machine works flawlessly even when rain, snow or other elements decrease the auto's capability to see and hear. "But there are a number of other concerns to be replied to provide a *completely automatic driving car on the road," he added.

Regulatory issue
BMW sales manager Ian Robertson said the technology available today is "more than competent" to push the car in many scenarios but regulation requires that motorists keep their hands in the wheel. "We are in period where technology has really overtaken regulation, and the issue is how fast do the two align," he said in an interview.

Government regulators are being careful.

-- What effect does higher automation within the vehicle have

-- How to enhance the driver interface without over loading them with advice?

-- How to enhance driver training for automated systems?

-- Should the EU continue to permit a slow migration of ability or introduce some kind of worldwide training?

-- How to incorporate automated vehicles with several other road users?

-- Will other road users also need training?

Away? 5 years

Like their counterparts in the European Union, regulators in america consider that selfdriving cars could have enormous gains for motorists in the long term, however they should stay in the experimental period for now. In america, California, Nevada and Florida have all passed laws permitting car companies for example Toyota and Audi to analyze selfdriving cars on public roads. Other states are contemplating following suit.

The position implies that regulators won't allow these cars to be popular within the next several years, even though some builders -- such as the tech giant Google Inc., which can be also working in the technology -- have implied that completely selfdriving cars can be as small as five years away in the marketplace.

Mercedes-Benz: Automated driving

07.12.2014
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