How close are autonomous vehicles to consumers? - San
Francisco Green Careers
In and around Silicon Valley we occasionally spot a driverless car, in particular the Google 'self-
driving car', which is the lettering printed on the side of each of these vehicles. The Google
autonomous car is a project led and developed by Google that is involving technology for the
autonomous car.
Google's project is currently being led by Sebastian Thrun, director of the Stanford Artificial
Intelligence Laboratory and co-inventor of Google Street View. At Stanford, Thrun and his team
created the robotic vehicle Stanley which won the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge and a prize of $2
million prize from the DOD (U.S. Department of Defense).
Google's self-driving car is not the only one, and other auto manufacturers, including Tesla, are
developing driver-less cars. The U.S. Army is also in the process of developing autonomous vehicles
for military use.
The prototyped driverless cars today have successfully navigated 300,000+ miles, bringing the
autonomous car concept into reality, where a consensus in the auto industry is focused on 2020 as
the realistic time frame for the autonomous cars to become commercially viable. Startups,
technology companies and auto makers have moved into this segment in the transportation space,
making proven progress towards self-driving, enhancing safety, improved vehicle operations,
connecting via networks or satellites, providing tools, applications and alerts to improve the driving
experience. For example: collision avoidance, GPS navigation capabilities, Transportation planning
in urban areas, alleviating traffic congestion, parking management and more, are all incorporated
into the car and the use of mobile devices: a smartphone or a tablet.
Such a revolution, however, requires further thought: Will there be a need for infrastructural change
and to what extent? How costly would that be? What are the next steps in development? What will
the social and cultural challenges in promoting driverless vehicle operation? Will our society allow to
'take' people out of the driver's seat? Will there be a need for legislation? What would be the next
steps in public education and how to promote self-driving cars for mass adoption? And more.
Last Friday the Telecom Council and the AutoTech Council organized an event in Silicon Valley,
which was centered on the future of the autonomous car. The event was open to members and
guests of the the two organizations. Entrepreneurs and startups presented various technologies and
breakthrough concepts. Below are a few selected presentations:
Peloton Technology - The trucking business is a $650 billion industry in the U.S. Peloton technology
connects pairs of trucks on the road through drivers' collaboration. The system augmens both
drivers' ability, increases their safety, and reduces costs through fuel efficiency. Peloton's system
uses radar and DSRC vehicle-to-vehicle communications to link safety systems between pairs of
trucks, while drivers remain fully engaged and retain steering control, but acceleration and braking
are adaptively controlled by the system. This results in reduction in aerodynamic drag, providing
fuel economy for pairs of trucks. Peloton claims on-road testing showing savings of more than 10%
fuel costs for each truck. Website: www.peloton-tech.com
MetroTech - Addresses car and fleet safety by capturing real time traffic data using the existing
network infrastructure. MetroTech idea is to serve as a 3rd party traffic data clearinghouse to

connect the city government infrastructure with the public and private infrastructure, receiving
inputs from camera feeds, sensors and GPS probes to create a fully integrated traffic vision center.
Furthermore, the data will be published to client markets in real time.
For example: To increase traffic safety, capturing data from an intersection and using it to avoid
collisions in intersections. Traffic analytics, video analytics, and predictive analytics are all
processed together to identify and alert of potential issues. Since the data is processed in real time,
it gives immediate feedback. Sensors, apps, cameras, algorithms, and computer processing over the
cloud have come together to increase safety in metropolitan areas. Website:
www.metrotech-net.com
Savari Networks - With the growing number of vehicles on U.S. roads, accelerating the need for
better transportation systems, i.e. the development of Intelligent Transportation Systems, which
refers to myriad of technologies, from information processing, sensors, communications, control, to
electronics. By integrating these elements into a transportation system and by utilizing information
exchange between roadside infrastructure and vehicles, can increase vehicle safety, save time and
resources, and more.
Savari product is an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) that improves roadside infrastructure
and promotes traffic safety while connecting vehicles and drivers to the network. The ITS technology
enhances the use of automated cars and focuses on collision avoidance in intersections, provides
signal violation warnings and road conditions, and enables vehicle-to-vehicle communications. In
addition to data collection of traffic, weather, parking availability, etc., it offers e-payment over
wireless networks.
Savari was developed over an open platform which allows portability across various custom vehicle
platforms. Savari's technology is patent pending. Website: http://www.savarinetworks.com

Kymeta - Today, users on the go demand and depend upon affordable broadband communications,
any time, any where. Wireless communications doesn't cover oceans, skies and vast land areas.
Kymeta creates mobility solutions via satellite communications. When it comes to the autonomous
car, the wi-fi networks have limited bandwidth and are owned by the network operators. The
autonomous car requires fast, non-stationary and constant data feed and networking capabilities
while in motion. Satellite solutions are available and present the cheapest data per bit broadcasting
to and from a car.
Kymeta offers the Metamaterials Surface Antenna Technology (MSA-T) providing satellite user
technologies. The Kymeta antenna will be used on airplanes at the end of the year, is being tested in
various types of vehicles, and more.
Satellite communications is consumer priced and at an industrial grade. It opens up a powerful and
uncrowded spectrum for continuos broadband communications. It's the spacerace for a second time,
simply with a twist.Website: www.kymetacorp.com
MotionLab - Line tracking motion is used in apps developed for the autonomous car. MotionLab has
developed robotic technology that uses algorithms that allow vehicles to plan their motions and
actually to drive themselves. Through mechanizing the driving skills, MotionLab products
demonstrate various motion actions like making a right turn or parallel parking. Smoothness of
tracking is important to avoid jerky corrections to the motion in line. Advanced sensors and robotic
devices track forward travel, as well as backward motion.
The technology can simulate eleven motions: 1. Park Forward; 2. Park Backward; 3. Line Tracking;
4. Regular Polygon; 5. Star; 6. Circle Tracking; 7. Circle Train; 8. Circle Ring; 9. Hamburger; 10.
Curvature Motion (based on six individual motions); and 11. Cyclone.

These motions are addressed by MotionLab's algorithms for any vehicle and any circumstances.
Also, the robotic system can navigate a static object, which could be a stationary human body, and
execute obstacle-avoidance actions. Website: www.MotionLab.com
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1, AutoTech Council
Based in Silicon Valley, the Autotech Council helps connect and promote innovation in the auto
industry, build partnerships, exchange insight, and grow their professional networks, while bringing
together auto manufacturers, vendors, parts companies, advocates, and the entire automotive value
chain. This "Better innovation and faster go-to market" supports entrepreneurs, engages VCs and
corporate funding, provides access to parts and automobile manufacturers, eventually benefiting
consumers.
To address the gap between innovators and car companies, the Autotech Council was built by
forward-thinking auto manufacturers and their major vendor partners to keep an open flow of
introductions, education, and discovery between them.
2. Telecom Council Silicon Valley
The Telecom Council of Silicon Valley strives to connect companies and individuals involved in the
region's Communications Technology industry with one another for business development,
collaboration, and education. The council brings together the local telecom industry's critical mass
of businesses, research, ideas, capital, and professional expertise. Members also include startups,
VCs, infrastructure companies, and companies who are not based in Silicon Valley but work here
regularly.
Using interactive forums, public and private executive discussions, social meetings, seminars, road
shows, tours and networking, the Council provides a professional hub for he industry to connect,
communicate, and collaborate.
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