Self-propelled cars “technology largely production-ready” – Autohaus

Just trumps the car industry with autonomous vehicles in front. Daimler CEO Zetsche sees no obstacles. However, the legal and ethical frameworks are still missing.

From Andrei Sokolov, dpa

With a futuristic prototype of an autonomously moving cars (“F015″), Daimler at the electronics show CES produces large headlines. In an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur explains CEO Dieter Zetsche, where he still sees action in the implementation of the plans for an autonomously moving car.

Mr Zetsche, how often are you in a self-propelled by car?

D. Zetsche: Well, some of my company car is already a self-propelled vehicle, because several of our series models can go completely autonomously at low speed. With the prototypes that are going on, I drive about every three months.

Do you notice it already differences from trip to trip?

Yes, it is much faster progress as it I could imagine a few years ago. The key technologies for this have been ready for production. We have the sensors. We have the computer capacity. The crosslinking is prior art. What we do not have is the safe autonomous driving in all circumstances – such as rain and snow or at night. In addition, the legal environment with clarification about liability issues missing. This determines the timing even more than the technology. We will be sure autonomously at higher speeds on routes such as highways in the next few years go. A car, as there is on the stand, I see in the next decade on the road.

If we are moments before, where the car decides who prefers event of an unavoidable accident? ” / b>

The car does not decide that yourself, but only follows the pre surrounded algorithm. These decisions are to be taken together in front of the manufacturers and legislators. Today, every day is decided by individual people, whether consciously or unconsciously. Such situations are rare indeed occur unevenly in the future. Maybe 99 avoided 100 accidents -. But also for those few cases you have to have this discussion

If you such a car as the F015 ever efficient production,

The technique for autonomous driving – computer power and sensors – is there the slightest problem. Since the fuel cell and battery are the major cost components. In addition, the infrastructure map services and data centers. But generally speaking, an autonomously moving car is not much more expensive.

In Las Vegas can get the impression that the German carmaker have a head start. Is that right?

Yes, I think that the German manufacturers are beginning. Now it is important that we maintain this position.

Were the self-driving cars of Google not only a wake up call for the auto industry?

We are driven back in the 1990s with prototypes. Interesting is the extreme attention that has gotten Google, which has also helped us. The things we are working on, not always penetrate to the outside. And our assistance systems were the logical steps to autonomous driving.

What is your relationship to the IT industry? Could you build a car without them?

Of course not, we want to, for example, do not produce semiconductor itself. Even with the software, we will work together in a meaningful way. The algorithms, logic, intelligence – that must come from us. Whether Google in this sense becomes a competitor, only time will tell. But that does not determine whether we can cooperate in other areas. We can see a total coalescence of the industry and the auto industry, with new possibilities. That there is a new impetus, can only be good for us, even if new competitors emerge.

but

You can also get the impression that the car makers have only the role of a PC manufacturer, produces the replaceable hardware?

We are the factories in which only the shells are built for Google’s systems? I do not think that corresponds to the vision of Google. I think that Google is crucial to be able to accompany the people around the clock to generate data and to provide you with their services. But be that as it may, we have our own interests. Where we complement each other, we will cooperate – and if we compete, we’ll see who has the better cards. This is relatively simple. And to the car to make it the one rolling smartphone, we need less effort than a cell phone providers to build a car.

What happens to the proceeds of the car manufacturer when the new mobility concepts such as car sharing to spread. ? Then Do not sell fewer cars

If we look concretely our Carsharing offer car2go, we currently have a balance between people who say, “Now I no longer need my Smart “- and those who buy a smart because they have tried it with car2go. But no matter how that goes – the solution that is best for the customer, will always prevail. It would be absurd if we were to build lines of defense to get something as long as possible, what was the business model before. If establish other concepts – then we want a say in it. We’ve got a very definite attitude. Disruptions are nothing new: a hundred years ago, there were many steam locomotive builder. And when the electric locomotive came, they were all dead.