New Technology: Google: A self-propelled car needs no steering wheel – Abendzeitung München

Google has reiterated its intention to dispense with self-driving cars on the steering wheel and pedals. The license could be obsolete in the future

Frankfurt / Main -. “It was a difficult decision. But we found in testing our self-propelled vehicles on highways, how difficult it was the occupant is still too focused on the road, “said project chief Chris Urmson the German Press Agency at the IAA. “If you suddenly have to turn into traffic, you do not have an overview of the situation as it would normally.”

Another concept in the automotive industry is currently, the people at the helm to observe self-propelled vehicles with cameras and to arouse their attention, for example with vibrating seats. Urmson replies, completely controlled by the computer cars could, for example, blind or elderly are available. “On the plane we have the seats indeed not stick.” In the car was the same: “When it comes to get someone from A to B, we can do away with the symbols of the manual driving.”

Google as automakers? “Would be foolish of us”

Urmson reiterated that Google wants to become a car manufacturer. These companies built partly for 100 years and understand the car buyer. “It would be foolish of us if we would try to copy them.” But Google wants to cooperate with the industry -. “To determine how the car should be and the next phase of mobility usher”

He did not think that it will go so far that the industry no interest in Google technology show and the Internet Group will build its cars but even at the end, Urmson said. “We are talking intensively with automakers and so many of them think ahead.” The car industry had accelerated their own efforts to develop self-propelled vehicles, after Google five years ago presented his project.

Self-propelled vehicles react in case of accidents differently

It is important to transparently explain how a car behaves in accidents that can not be avoided, stressed Urmson. “In our case, the car tried first of all to avoid pedestrians and cyclists. Then it avoids contact with other moving vehicles. And only in third place come stationary objects such as trees.” People reacted in accident situations instinctively against it.

Google’s robot car technology should be ready for the market in four years, Urmson said. His eldest son was just 12 become and could get in the United States with 16 a driver’s license: “The goal of my team is to have self-propelled cars before it needs to make a driver’s license.”

In the meantime, should the technology more robust and more reliable. “The system works, we go every week 10,000 miles with it.” In cities with relatively low volume of traffic and modern infrastructure, the vehicles should have no problems. “At some point we are able to drive in Rome – but we are not there yet.”