Intensifying the fierce competition in the driver-less car industry this year, Singapore has already placed its first driverless car on the streets. Though it is at the trial stage, the riders get to travel in it and that too for free! Beating the tech giant Uber who has already announced its plans to bring a driverless car on the streets, Cambridge, Massachusetts, startup nuTonomy announced that testing of the driverless taxis began on Thursday in Singapore. Karl Iagnemma, Chief Executive and Cofounder of nuTonomy informed that the full launch of these cars is targeted around 2018.
Lets know a bit more about the driver-less car industry and things that India needs before placing a car WITHOUT a driver on the streets!
nuTonomy company is using the electrical vehicles of the Renault and Mitsubishi that are equipped with software and cameras of the same company. Since, it is in trial mode, a driver also sits on the passenger seat to ensure maximum safety.
Further, the company chose Singapore because it is one of the few cities in the world to have an organised and smooth traffic. Can it be achieved in India? Well at first glance the answer is, 'No!' however, there are a few developments in the driverless car industry in India as well.
Dr. Roshy John is the Indian techie behind the development of Tata-Nano Convertible that can be used as a driverless taxi! Roshy heads Robotics and Cognitive Systems at Tata Consultancy Services in Kerala. He got this idea to develop an autonomous car five years back when he himself had to get into the driver's seat to reach home safe, since the driver was really exhausted and was dozing off at the wheel!
However, Dr. Roshy explains that since the traffic congestion is worse and often unorganised in the Indian metropolis, it is really difficult to get the driverless taxi on the street. Though, he managed to consider all the little things and really equip an autonomous car with the software, sensors and cars that could run on the Indian roads smoothly. Catch the full story in the video ahead!
#Inspiring!
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