Google has just been granted a patent that describes a possible
switch from a car that is driven by a human to an autonomous driving
mode. The patent was written by a group of engineers that includes the
winners of the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge.
We have heard quite a bit about Google’s autonomous cars
driving around in California. A patent approved by the USPTO yesterday
provides more detail on these cars and the technology they may use. The
patent #8,078,349,
filed on May 11 of this year, specifically refers to the event when a
mixed-mode car is enabled to transition from a human driver to an
autonomous mode.
According to the patent, Google is envisioning a landing strip for a
vehicle. Only a landing strip that can be detected via sensors in
addition to a GPS locator may be able to deliver the necessary detail to
determine the exact location of a car, provide the vehicle with that
location data and allow it to switch to an autonomous model. The patent
stated that the location data as well as operation instruction can be
provided via a URL. If such data is given to the vehicle, it may also
receive information that it “can only operate in one predefined path.”
At the very least, potential applications would be industrial vehicles
as well as future cars that may park themselves in a parking lot. Keep
in mind that these services could be closely tied to Google’s mapping
services, which may be the connector to Google’s interest in this
technology.
To develop this technology, Google employs some of the smartest minds
in the industry. It is not really surprising to see Christopher Urmson
and Nathaniel Fairfield listed among the inventors: Both joined Google
from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute. Urmson was the technical
leader of the Tartan racing team, which won the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge:
Their “Boss” vehicle, a heavily modified Chevy Tahoe, completed a 55
mile urban course in 4 hours and 10 minutes and won the $2 million prize
of the competition. Also listed among the inventors is Nathan
Fairfiled, also from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute, who worked on
sonar data for navigation in 3D environments at the university.
Kurt Bakke in Products on December 14
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