BMW uses autonomous cars for boring, repetitive tests

Forget robotaxis, this is for precision and repeatability.

See full article...

 

[YetAnotherAnonymousAppellation]

Can Robo-Zambonis be far behind?!

In the majority of small rinks, the person who drives the Zamboni is the same person that runs the ice plant, cleans the ice dump area, opens and closes the access doors, etc. Unless a self-driving unit was cheaper than a manually-driven one, there's no reason to bother.

 

[some guy in San Diego]

They will just inflate Otto in the seat!

Syracuse doesn't have men's hockey, though ...

 

[Arstotzka]

As far as I am aware, all electronic accelerator pedals have dual sensors setup in a reverse configuration to provide redundancy.

Interesting, and makes sense. I'll keep my old hard drive magnets away from the floorboards no matter what.

Toyota is planning to have it on one of their BEVs soon, though I supposed the brakes might have a mechanical fallback, the steering will not.

In the U.S. it's going to remain a direct mechanical system, or have mechanical fallback, according to this article. Electric-assisted power steering, not electric-only steering. Nissan has had steer-by-wire for a decade now, but with the failsafe clutch. The NHTSA has a report on steer-by-wire [PDF warning], but I can't find the current legal status for such systems.

I know it can be done safely. FADEC exists and has been in place for decades. I just doubt the automotive industry is going to reach the same level of implementation and training as in the aviation industry.

 

[NetMage]

In the U.S. it's going to remain a direct mechanical system, or have mechanical fallback, according to this article.

The article actually says the Lexus will be released with EPS, then replaced probably soon by full electric steering.

 

[Epimetheus_Secundus]

I drove a lot of different cars from my teens to my late 20's. Muscle cars of various types, several Japanese cars, and a couple VW/Audi. The three BMW's I've driven in the 25 years since have had brakes that were far and above better than anything I've driven, including any of my wife's cars in that same period. Never a warped rotor, very infrequent pad changes. The clutches also seem to last the life of the car. And I drive these cars hard.

 

[C64 raids Bungling Bay]

That asphalt looks smooth as the autobahn. If they really want to see why BMWs have so many squeaks and rattles, try some 30 year old U.S. pavement.

 

[leidentech]

Can Robo-Zambonis be far behind?!

Nooo! My dream career!

 

[Arstotzka]

The article actually says the Lexus will be released with EPS, then replaced probably soon by full electric steering.

At some unspecified future date. I assume three models will be produced, LHD/RHD with full electric steering, and a LHD with mechanical fallback . Once it's legal in the US, Toyota would drop the US-only model with mechanical connections. Soon? I don't know if I'd go that far.