The Samsung test represents another step towards businesses, commuters and leisure passengers carrying out their travel in computer-controlled vehicles. Recently Digital Journal reported on how the British government has given permission for self-driving lorries (trailer trucks) to take to the British roads. This is in the form of an experiment, involving three large vehicles in 2018.
With the Samsung vehicles, these are not actually cars built by the South Korean firm (Samsung has no plants to do so). However, the cars will, as the BBC reports, contain Samsung artificial intelligence technology (a likely player is Renault, with whom Samsung has a business arrangement, as well as Hyundai). Since purchasing vehicle audio firm Harman last year, Samsung’s car sensor technology has progressed at a rapid pace.
The permit for Samsung to use the California highway has come from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The local government body has also issued licenses to Apple, Nvidia, GM, and BMW. CNBC notes that Samsung are keen to develop a self-driving car algorithm that could drive in adverse weather.
Developments with cars is not just about self-driving, other ‘smart’ technologies include artificial intelligence having been developed to helps to keep tired drivers awake. This comes in the form of a machine-driven climate control designed by Panasonic. Further into the future, the ‘Internet of Cars’ is being discussed where autonomous cars will communicate directly with each other. Such technology is necessary where, for example, a fleet of trucks are in transit. Such innovations may also protect people through the avoidance of accidents. There are, however, some security concerns with connected cars, as Digital Journal has discussed in the article “Should we be worried about the Internet of Cars?“
