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When will self-driving cars be ready for blind and visually impaired people?

One day, cars will drive themselves. Driving will be a thing of the past, and if the tech industry is to be believed so will traffic and road accidents. All because the autonomous car’s computer brain is more connected and aware than any human driver could be. It’s a prospect that would change the way human beings get around the world.

Modern cars can already do a lot of things autonomously, though they aren’t at the stage where they can truly be called ‘self-driving’. Right now the best autonomous driving systems are only on ‘Level 2’ of the autonomous driving scale. But have you ever wondered what that actually means? read more

Maker of Autonomous Personal Electric Vehicle is Conducting Trials at Airport

Airports around the world may soon be easier to navigate for travelers with reduced mobility, thanks to a high-tech wheelchair being tested in Winnipeg.

The Japanese company WHILL, has begun the second round of trials for an autonomous wheelchair that takes people from check-in to their departure gate, then returns on its own to a recharging station.

The first round of trials were conducted earlier this year at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. read more

Legally Blind Engineer Makes Self-Driving Car Sensors See

Nico Gentry, a 25-year-old manufacturing engineer from Orlando, Florida, is working in the autonomous car industry, where “they’re building the eyes for cars,” as he put it. He works at a LiDAR company called Luminar. LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging; it’s a sensor technology that uses light to measure distance and detect objects, and it’s often called the “eyes” of self-driving cars.

Gentry has always loved cars. “I wanted so badly to get my permit and eventually my driver’s license,” said in a recent interview. But a neurological disorder called nystagmus that affects his eyes means he’s been legally blind since birth. read more

Lyft Partners with Autonomous Company and NFB to Provide Rides to Blind and Partially Sighted Passengers

Lyft announced it will partner with autonomous vehicle (AV) company Aptiv and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to provide self-driven rides to blind and low-vision passengers as part of its Las Vegas pilot program.

The partnership will include creating Braille guides for blind people who ride in Lyft AVs, with a Braille route map and a diagram of an Aptiv AV. There will also be sensors and other technology in the car to inform riders about their surroundings as they travel.
Lyft said the partnership is part of an overall goal of providing transportation and “better mobility solutions” to everyone, especially those most in need of help getting around. read more

Self-Driving Shuttle Launches in Beaumont

Beaumont is the first city in Canada to integrate a driverless shuttle into mixed traffic and pedestrians.

The electronic autonomous shuttle, ELA, runs north-south for one kilometre along 50 Street in Beaumont next to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Beaumont contributed $200,000 to the six-month pilot project, in partnership with Pacific Western Transportation (PWT).

“The future is coming and it’s here in Beaumont,” said Mayor John Stewart outside Beaumont City Hall on Thursday.

ELA has a maximum speed of 40 km/h and uses three-dimensional mapping technology to collect data and navigate its surroundings. Unlike the cars it drives alongside, ELA doesn’t have a steering wheel or a brake pedal. read more

Google Assistant Wants to be Your Personal Secretary, But at What Cost?

Google is gearing up to release its Duplex technology that was presented at the Google I/O event in May 2018.

The technology allows Google Assistant to make phone calls autonomously on behalf of a user to achieve specific tasks like making a reservation in a restaurant or booking an appointment in a hair salon.

Google has shared a video showing the system making a restaurant reservation for a user. It starts with a request from the user: “Hey Google, book a table for two at El Cocotero on Tuesday at 7.” The assistant then calls the restaurant unaided, retrieving its contact details from Google Search – and has a conversation with an employee over the phone. read more

Autonomous Pilot Program Will Be Free to General Public This Fall

The shuttle used will be the EZ10 made by French company EasyMile. The shuttle has been named ELA, seats 12 passengers, and has a built-in mobility ramp. It is fully electric and has no steering wheel. It uses 3D mapping and localization data from four sensors and additional video cameras as it steers itself.

It can connect to a 4G network, which allows for remote supervision and data monitoring by both Pacific Western Transportation and researchers at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. read more

Visually Impaired People Testing Driverless Pods

Visually impaired and blind people will be test-driving new driverless pods, which have been designed for short low-speed journeys.

The autonomous pods designed by the INSIGHT project have been developed to make travelling around easier particularly for blind and visually impaired people.

The pod is equipped with sophisticated 3D-imaging systems and sensors, designed to enable it to safely navigate through pedestrian areas.

Dr Umar Daraz, director for the Institute of Sustainable Futures at Birmingham City University, one of the project partners, said: “It is great that we will also be able to give blind and visually impaired groups the chance to give their feedback on the pods, which will be key to fine tuning them and making sure they meet the needs of users who may have difficulty travelling independently in busy city environments. read more

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