Waymo makes all the electronics for robotic cars, lidars fell 10 times


    New unmanned car Google / Waymo at the Detroit Auto Show. January 8, 2017. Photo: Verge

    At the end of January 2017, the first detachment of 100 Chrysler Pacifica unmanned minivans will leave the Mountain View (California) and Phoenix (Arizona) roads . These machines will be equipped with electronics manufactured by Waymo, which emerged from Google at the end of last year. Not just some kind of electronics, but absolutely all the technical stuffing of an unmanned drive is now developed by Waymo engineers. This remarkable achievement has reduced the cost of the entire car.

    The lidars alone, which Google once bought for $ 75,000, now cost only $ 7,500. It was the most expensive component. But now it seems that a completely unmanned vehicle will eventually become even cheaper than usual. After all, from it, you can remove a bunch of mechanical components, adapted to useless human physiology.

    For several years, Google has used serial components for testing unmanned vehicles: lidars, sensors, and video cameras. And now, for the first time, the company is switching completely to its own hardware. In addition, all the software in the unmanned Waymo car is also of its own design.

    In addition to a significant reduction in price, this means new technical capabilities. The company develops specific equipment for a specific task and for a specific machine. If you need a camera of a specific size and with certain technical characteristics, then such a camera will be made. The same with lidar.

    Executive Director John Krafchik (John Krafcik) saidthat their engineers have developed two new types of lidar: short-range and long-range. Due to this, the car now sees people and objects very close to the car and at the same time very distant objects.

    Of course, “own production” does not mean that sensors and lidars are assembled directly at the Waymo automobile factory in the USA. Serial parts of components, as usual, are cheaper to order for production in China, but they are developed in Waymo.

    And according to the stated “10-fold lidar price reduction,” it should also be noted that in recent years these devices themselves have become significantly cheaper. Google bought them for $ 75,000 in 2009, and now the world's largest manufacturer of lidars, Velodyne, sells them for $ 7,999 retail .. So the cheapening of lidars is not so much the merit of Waymo, but the general trend in the market.


    Lidar Velodyne PUCK (VLP-16) worth $ 7,999 for cars, UAVs, self-propelled and industrial robots, cartography, security systems. The

    details of its own design Waymo is going to use only on its own. Apparently, we are not talking about the supply of automotive components to competitors, although theoretically the Waymo business model could well include the sale of car kits, in addition to technology licensing. What Waymo’s business model will actually be is not entirely clear. So far the company is engaged only in research and development and autopilot testing.

    Representatives of the company shared their latest achievements and near-term plans at the North American International Auto Show (North American International Auto Show), which runs from January 8 to 22, 2017 in Detroit (by the way, the entrance ticket costs $ 500). In the same place, for the first time, the company showed to the public directly the unmanned minivan itself, which it covertly developed after concluding a deal with auto-concern Fiat Chrysler in May 2016. New Chrysler Pacifica cars will complement the current unmanned fleet of Google / Waymo, which consists of several dozen Lexus SUVs and self-made two-seater Firefly mini-minis.

    Even before making a deal with Fiat Chrysler, it was rumored that Google was going to launch its own unmanned vehicle taxis.. About the same plans now says Uber. In theory, this could really be the first real commercial use of robotic cars. At the initial stage of technology implementation, before the authorities allow the sale of such machines to individuals.

    At the Detroit Auto Show, Waymo CEO announced his future plans for the first time. The director said that the company is looking at a number of possible applications of unmanned vehicles, including as a taxi (ride-hailing), in logistics systems, for personal transport and "last-mile solutions."

    “We’re serious about creating completely unmanned vehicles that will help millions of people, and in order to do this, you need to monitor both unmanned software and unmanned equipment,” said Krafchik.

    On technical improvements to the lidars, he added: “We are processing such minute details [of the road situation] that we not only notice all the pedestrians around, but also observe the direction in which they are turned. This is incredibly important because it helps to accurately predict where someone will go next. ”

    The appearance of unmanned vehicles on sale is becoming closer and more real. These cars are really improving before our eyes. In 2015, test pilots of the Waymo had to take control of themselves due to unforeseen circumstances 0.5 times per thousand kilometers, now this figure has dropped to 0.125.








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