Mercedes takes a big step forward in self driving by being the first to receive a regulatory approval for Level 3 autonomous driving. Upcoming models with enhanced self-driving functions will rely on various sensors. LiDARs, radars and cameras will help cars navigate the streets autonomously with speeds up to 60 km/hour.
News articles focus on how drivers will benefit from autonomous systems, and that’s okay. The improvement truly changes the way we can work or have more fun in vehicles. But Commsignia is all about road safety, and we have found other interesting pieces in the details.
It’s good to see how an OEM ensures failsafe operation. When self-driving conditions aren’t met, and the driver is not ready to take back control of the vehicle, the cars will safely stop, put on the hazard lights and activate an emergency call. That’s one of the moments in traffic when Vehicle-to-Everything or V2X communication solutions can come handy.
So where does V2X come into the picture?
With integrated V2X, cars can send a warning to other vehicles nearby: Hey, watch out, there’s a stopped vehicle on the road! Of course the message drivers see or hear won’t exactly sound like this, it’s up to the OEMs to find the best way to alert drivers.
How does the evolution of V2X compare to the evolution of self-driving? And where exactly is level 3 autonomous driving in relation to complete autonomy?
Take a look at this chart below to find out more:
As you can see, cooperation and automation evolve in parallel. We are at the point when deployed V2X systems can share sensor data with each other, allowing us to use improved safety services in vehicles. We’ve been working on the next level of cooperation for a while. Commsignia is actively participating in the standardization of Cooperative Perception, and not only for cars.
Cooperative Perception is an integral part of how street sensors and cameras can share information with vehicles. This is essential to include the otherwise non-connected vulnerable road users, pedestrians and people riding bicycles or electric kickscooters in the V2X ecosystem.
