by Brian Byrne. Cars which automatically avoid other vehicles, pedestrians and obstacles could be a step closer thanks to an SMMT Foresight Vehicle project called AutoTaxi.
The aim is to develop safety-critical sensors and systems to process and interpret critical information about a car's local environment, for example, the path of the road ahead and the presence and movement of vehicles and other obstacles on it. It could pave the way to the fully autonomous cars of the future.
Sensor technologies are already bringing real-world benefits to new car drivers. Ultrasonic parking sensors are now common, while radar in Active Cruise Control (ACC) sets speed between vehicles on high-speed roads.
More than 400 UK firms and universities have been participating in SMMT Foresight Vehicle, which is led by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
