We are all familiar with the recognizable crash-test dummies, and are thankful each year for the sacrifices they make in determining the safety of our vehicles. Combined with the very popular topic of autonomous cars, such as those from Audi, Toyota and Google, Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds has developed a testing program for durability using robotic technology. There are, of course, some tests that cannot yet be performed by robotic technology, such as noise level and vehicle dynamics.
With respect to some of the more grueling tests, those on commercial trucks, for example, limit human exposure time, according to Ford’s vehicle development operations manager, David Payne. Ford says the robotically driven tests can simulate up to 10 years of “daily driving abuse,” as the vehicles brave hazards such as speed bumps, cobblestones and mud pits. By the time this kind of testing could be performed on any model, the car would be outdated.
Even while the bots are running the show, engineers are standing by to restart the program if the test vehicle happens to stray from its preprogrammed course. The vehicle’s movements are tracked from a control room, where engineers closely monitor camera feeds and GPS data. Onboard sensors allow the vehicles to self-stop should a pedestrian or other vehicle cross its path. Although a lot of the controls are still directed by humans, it relieves a lot of the physical duress that comes along with constantly testing a car. However, what effect does this new introduction to robotic technology have on people’s jobs?
“The goal here was not to develop a truly autonomous vehicle that can drive itself on city streets,” said Payne. “Our objective was to create a test track solution that allows for this type of intense testing that could take our vehicles to the most extreme limits of their engineering while ensuring the safety of all involved.”
When we first saw modern robot invasion movies like “A.I.” and “I, Robot,” or even as far back as “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” it was almost a fear that robots would take over the world. The Jetsons introduced us to Rosie, who was friendly – that’s how it starts. Just food for thought!
