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  • Volkswagen's TAP

    TAP = Temporary Auto-Pilot....

    Next stop: KITT

    Driving without a Driver – Volkswagen presents the “Temporary Auto Pilot”

    Prof. Dr. Jürgen Leohold: “An important milestone on the path towards fully automatic and accident-free driving.”

    Wolfsburg/Borås - At the final presentation of the EU research project HAVEit (Highly Automated Vehicles for Intelligent Transport), Prof. Dr. Jürgen Leohold, Executive Director Volkswagen Group Research, has presented the “Temporary Auto Pilot” by Volkswagen: Monitored by the driver, the car can drive semi-automatically up to a speed of 130 kilometres per hour on motorways. It represents a link between today’s assistance systems and the vision of fully automatic driving.

    "Above all, what we have achieved today is an important milestone on the path towards accident-free car driving" emphasises Leohold at today’s final presentation of the EU research project HAVEit in the Swedish city of Borås. The Temporary Auto Pilot (TAP) bundles semi-automatic functions, i.e. functions monitored by the driver, with other driver assistance systems, such as ACC adaptive cruise control and the Lane Assist lane-keeping system into one comprehensive function. "Nonetheless, the driver always retains driving responsibility and is always in control" continues Leohold. "The driver can override or deactivate the system at any time and must continually monitor it"

    TAP always offers the driver an optimal degree of automation as a function of the driving situation, acquisition of the surroundings and driver and system states. It is intended to prevent accidents due to driving errors by an inattentive, distracted driver. In the semi-automatic driving mode – referred to as Pilot Mode, for short – TAP maintains a safe distance to the vehicle ahead, drives at a speed selected by the driver, reduces this speed as necessary before a bend, and maintains the vehicle’s central position with respect to lane markers. The system also observes overtaking rules and speed limits. Stop and start driving manoeuvres in traffic jams are also automated. With TAP, it is possible to drive at speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour on motorways or similar roads. Drivers must still continually focus their attention on the road, so that they can intervene in safety-critical situations at any time.


    In contrast to previous research vehicles such as "Junior" and "Stanley", TAP is based on a relatively production-like sensor platform, consisting of production-level radar-, camera-, and ultrasonic-based sensors supplemented by a laser scanner and an electronic horizon. "One conceivable scenario for its initial use might be in monotonous driving situations, e.g. in traffic jams or over sections of a driving route that are exceedingly speed-limited" comments Leohold.
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    Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 26 June 2011, 18:58.
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    Humans are terrible drivers, this is a step in the right direction.
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    • #3
      Originally posted by Dr Mordrid View Post
      Drivers must still continually focus their attention on the road, so that they can intervene in safety-critical situations at any time.
      Here I see an issue: how to keep focus when only passively involved? I hope this requirement is only stated so as to give comfort to those who are afraid of machines taking over or being unsafe.
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      • #4
        I suspect the "keeping focus thing" is a legal issue. The driver still has the final decision, and if things go wrong he is the end responsible. The question is: how many people will stay focussed when they are demoted to passenger?

        It reminds me of a pilot on Airbus, who told me it is quite weird to have the plane do a fully automatic landing with 0 visibility. He says: "you see the plane controls move and adjust things, and you know that you still have the end responsibility, but you don't really have the ability to intervene as you don't see anything: if somethings goes wrong, for sure you will be too late".

        Also: it keeps the center of lane markers... What if they are in bad condition... or poorly visible... or overridden by yellow markers due to road works (it can even be confusing for us) or just missing (can happen e.g. on a new patch of road)...
        Last edited by VJ; 27 June 2011, 03:09.
        pixar
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        • #5
          I can see this working in USA (see Jay Leno interview on Top Gear) or on German Autobahn but not in Italy, Greece or Turkey. Also expect most drivers who turn this on to watch DVDs, play games on smartphones,... Like a girl who went to Russian course with me, who said that she repeated lessons from the book on steering wheel the whole 75km of highway to the exam and that it was hard to read in tunnels.

          I think the autopilot for a car should be better than a plane, since cars have much more close traffic and much more factors which require change of direction to consider. Also until most cars are equipped with this the other drivers will not be predictable enough. I know computer can be better than average driver but one accident caused by this (remember accelerating Toyotas) and it will a PR nightmare.
          Last edited by UtwigMU; 27 June 2011, 05:23.

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          • #6
            Google has already been testing their self-driving cars in California, with mostly positive results. The problems they encountered mostly seemed to be related to unpredictable behavior of other drivers and, even more so, pedestrians and bicyclists.

            The big hurdles in the US are the laws. Even if they are not directly related to a self-driving car being allowed on the roadway, they pertain to what a driver (actively engaged with driving or not) is allowed to do.
            “And, remember: there's no 'I' in 'irony'” ~ Merlin Mann

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            • #7
              My car has adaptive cruise control, where by it controls the speed based on traffic, there is a radar like device next to the fog lights that looks ahead. If you set the speed of the cruise control to say 130kmh and it detects the car in front doing 110km, my car will apply the brakes and match the speed of the car ahead until that car changes lanes or accelerates, then my car will speed up, but only up to 130kmh.

              There is a distance setting as well, how many car lengths you want to maintain, if a car cuts you off, alarms will go off and my car will apply the breaks

              Love this feature!!! Now all I need is TAP and I'm golden

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              • #8
                That was an option on my MK IV Mondeo which I wish I had taken. So often with STD cruise control you find yourself resisting touching the pedals when approaching a car while another is going by in the outside lane and thus only pulling out at the last moment, or else having to use the pedal and feeling frustrated.
                FT.

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