By Michael O’Dwyer
In the realm of science fiction, self-driving cars have long been common. While we’re still not quite driving like the Jetsons in everyday life, cars today are considerably smarter than they were just a decade ago thanks to a growing range of sensors improving the driving experience.
Google recently tested its driverless car, which could one day help eliminate bad driving.
(photo credit: iStock)
Many vehicles also already incorporate smartphone features, such as onboard access to apps. Though driverless-car technology exists, some automakers are choosing to keep control in human hands — at least for now.
For example, although the company has already proven that a driverless car is viable — with a 62 mile (100-km) trip in normal driving conditions — Mercedes believes that driving a car is fun and doesn’t plan to displace its drivers anytime soon, says Peter Haeussermann, director of telematics, Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, Daimler AG.
“We could do it, but we don’t want to,” he adds.
Mercedes was able to perform its autonomous driving experiment using production-ready components, unlike the Google solution, which adds $4,000 to the cost and incorporates 3D radar and a large, visually unattractive roof-mounted camera.
Sensors and aftermarket restrictions
What’s making the potential for driverless cars and other features possible is a multitude of new components, or embedded systems, for vehicles. Each sensor is designed to monitor a specific function, whether fuel consumption, speed, wheel alignment or performance — the list goes on and on. Even seatbelts have an associated sensor that alerts the driver if not fastened.
Embedded systems combine hardware and software functions on a single component, or microchip. When connected to a larger digital system, they allow manufacturers to take a modular approach to automobile features, whether diagnostic, infotainment or others.
Auto manufacturers often outsource their integrated infotainment and telematics platforms, allowing them to concentrate on their research and design to bring new models to market much faster.
“What used to take [auto manufacturers] five years now takes 18 months or less,” says Andrew Poliak, global director of business development for QNX Software Systems, a subsidiary of BlackBerry headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. QNX currently provides embedded systems for companies in the medical, industrial, information technology, security and automotive industries.
For example, Poliak says their operating system, the OS-QNX CAR Platform for infotainment, is designed like Lego building blocks, where new features can be added easily as technology advances.
According to Poliak, if you look at cars as data repositories, “hundreds of microcontrollers [or processing chips] around the car gather little bits of information — the exact number depends on the make and model of the vehicle — and combine to form an infotainment or diagnostic solution, shared with screens on the car or off-board.”
Integration at the point of production is key as aftermarket infotainment solutions will not have access to all sensors. Due to the security implications of general access to automotive systems, aftermarket solutions for infotainment and other connected systems are unlikely to be as feature-rich as those installed on the production floor.
Companies are free to develop aftermarket solutions to add connectivity, but automotive manufacturers protect themselves from hacking by limiting the number of interfaces and securing both manufacturer and customer data, says Daimler’s Haeussermann.
Most of the sensors are versatile and can have multiple applications.
“For example, back-up cameras [used when reversing] can be used for other safety critical components, to eliminate blind spots or when changing lanes,” says Poliak.
Essential features for connected cars
The features offered in today’s automobiles typically reflect customer feedback and market research.
“Stolen vehicle recovery is the most important feature,” says Jamie Moss, senior analyst at Ovum, a global research consultancy based in London, and chair of the Internet of Things track at the 2014 Broadband World Forum. He also considers emergency crash notification and remote diagnostics essential connected features.
Experts agree that balancing the user experience with safety and security is key.
“We need to blend the user experience of today’s smartphones and entertainment devices with the safety necessary for medical devices, high-speed trains, Visa systems and more, all without downtime,” says QNX’s Poliak.
Michael O’Dwyer is a freelance writer living in Hong Kong. He spent over 15 years in the electronics industry, managing information technology, process improvement and supply chains. Michael writes for a variety of online portals on IT and related topics.