If the three initial pods are successful, a fleet of 40 vehicles will be rolled out on the pavements of the UK.
The UK is setting itself up to be a world leader in driverless technology with the introduction of the LUTZ Pathfinder pod.
The vehicle is the UK’s first driverless car that is making its way past the testing phase and it poised to hit the roads later this year.
The electric-powered vehicle has 19 sensors and a light detection and ranging system, which measure distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light.
With a range of 40 miles, the vehicle can last eight hours of continuous travel on one charge. However, it maxes out at top speeds of 15 mph.
While the LUTZ Pathfinder pod may be the first driverless car in the UK to hit the streets, you won’t see it on a highway any time soon. The vehicles were designed to help shoppers, the elderly, and commuters travel short distances. Those who wish to use the cars will be able to hail them through a smartphone app.
The vehicles are expected to begin roving around the pavements and pedestrianized areas of Milton Keynes and Coventry later this year.
With this innovation and other exciting developments in driverless car technology, the UK’s government will be looking to rewrite highway code to accommodate for these vehicles.
[Sources: BBC, The Independent & Gizmodo]Sensors may be the driving force behind this new innovative technology, but they’re also the key players for a lot of other discovers. Check out the extensive scope of sensors.
And of course we’ll be talking all about sensors at the ECS 227th Meeting in Chicago the coming May! Don’t miss out on all the great sensor symposia.
