If you ever wanted a good reason to expedite the introduction ofautonomous vehicles, this is pretty much it.
Yet creating self-driving cars is far trickier in reality than concept.
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What is LiDAR?
LiDAR is an acronym for light detection and ranging.
NASA initially developed LiDAR in the 1970s for use in space.
It uses laser beams to create 3D vision for a cars computer and mechanics to make safe driving decisions.
But, as with any technology, LiDAR is constantly evolving.
Velodyne was born out of a couple of brothersentering a vehiclein theDARPA Grand Challengein 2005.
Vass explained:
Lets take a really bad intersection.
And you’ve got the option to see where an accident could potentially have occurred.
LiDAR can also improve city sustainability, by reducing pollution by lowering the number of idling vehicles.
Therefore, conserving fuel.
The company notes that cars embedded with a lower power unit can lead to substantial energy savings.
Department of Transportations Volpe Centernoted that in 2015 Americans spent 84 billion hours driving.
This energy could power more than165,000 average American households for a year.
And LiDAR has a critical role in ensuring we get there successfully and safely.
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin.
