Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, took another step towards developing autonomous vehicles (AV’s) today.
So-called “driverless” vehicles are being tested today on provincial streets and roads as part of large pilot project. There will be no restrictions on where they can go.
The project has three major players.
The University of Waterloo will be operating a Lincoln MKZ hybrid sedan. The Waterloo Lincoln will be fully connected to the Internet and with computers to process and analyze data in real time. The prototype car includes technologies such as radar, sonar and lidar, as well as both inertial and vision sensors. Current laws require a researcher/”drive” to be always be behind the wheel and ready to assume control at all times. The vehicle currently operates with some degree of self-driving capabilities, combining features such as adaptive cruise control to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles without intervention by the driver.
The Erwin Hymer Group, an international automaker with a research centre in Waterloo, will be testing a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van at various levels of automation.
BlackBerry QNX will test a 2017 Lincoln and will be developing its software in association with the pilot project.
Provincial and federal politicians arrived at a press conference in Waterloo Ontario aboard an autonomous car to announce the project
The project involves testing various levels of automation in differing weather and road conditions and situations. In a University of Waterllo press release Krzysztof Czarnecki, a lead researcher and professor in Waterloo’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Cheriton School of Computer Science, said, “The ability to take this research work to the next level while safely testing on all kinds of roads in Ontario represents a significant leap forward in this field”.
A number of claims are being made that “AV’s” will reduce congestion, lower pollution, and reduce accidents.
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