Driving lessons could be taking place without an instructor – new vehicle patent released
What changes are being made to the Highway Code?
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
American car giant General Motors has filed a patent for a car that can teach people how to drive. The move would allow learners to jump in a vehicle without an instructor and receive training on public roads.
In the filing, the description of the technology indicates that the autonomous vehicle will be constantly interpreting the world around it.
It will also make its own decisions about the correct inputs.
The vehicle will then compare all of the above with what the driver does.
This includes looking at their steering and pedal inputs as well as external factors such as speed and position on the road compared with other vehicles.
An algorithm can then determine a score for each of the factors and feed this back to the driver as well as third parties.
The filing appears to imply that the vehicle can take over one or more aspects of driving if the score drops below a certain threshold.
For example, if the car registers that the driver is braking too late, it can help to slow the car or move it back to the centre of the lane if they are drifting across.
It can also start out by giving new drivers control over some simple inputs.
DON’T MISS
Drivers could be fined thousands if they don’t tell DVLA about changes [WARNING]
Motorists paid £1.7bn more in fuel costs due to E10 fuel switch [REVEAL]
Driver fined £200 after calling French traffic warden ‘immigrant’ [SHOCKING]
The vehicle can then introduce more difficult aspects of driving as the learner’s competency increases.
The benefits of such a system are said to be a reduced cost for those learning to drive, as well as increased availability of driver education, as the vehicles could be available 24/7.
Lower cost and improved availability and safety are obvious on paper, but it remains to be seen whether regulators buy into the idea of teaching people to drive with autonomous cars.
Learners themselves might also not feel comfortable alone in the car.
Book here
Book your MOT with the UK’s #1 MOT tester – just click the link to book online.
Source: Read Full Article