IBM Watson supercomputer to help people communicate with electric buses

    IBM with the supercomputer Watson enters the unmanned vehicle market. But not as a robot driver, but as an interlocutor for passengers of a 12-seater electric bus. The bus will explain its behavior on the road and talk about restaurants and attractions, to inspire people to trust in an unmanned vehicle.

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    IBM Watson, who helps develop weapons to fight viruses and is able to better diagnose lung cancer by doctors , this time should “improve the experience of passengers . According to the inventors, the possibility of dialogue between people and the bus will positively affect the image of unmanned vehicles, help people stop being afraid of robots if they have such fear. Olli during the trip will explain how he works, how he drives, and also tell which restaurant to go to or what landmark to look at.

    The company Local Motors"Reinventing" vehicles. It uses the latest technology in manufacturing, including fashionable 3D printing, which few can do without now. In addition to the printed cars, the company has an unmanned bus, with the help of which Local Motors intends to change the existing transport infrastructure.

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    The 12-seater bus Olli is completely autonomous, it uses radar, lidar and cameras and reacts to the situation faster than a person, the company writes in the description on the website. Thanks to the electric motor, Olli reduces emissions and does not make noise.

    Local Motors buses will start driving around National Harbor in the summer, shopping and entertainment area with 150 shops, 30 restaurants and a 50-meter Ferris wheel in Maryland. At the end of 2016, Olli may appear in Miami and Las Vegas. In the future, according to the developers, a smartphone application will help to catch this bus and get from point A to point B in the shortest possible time, for this the company will work with municipal authorities and corporate customers.

    When we get into a taxi, we can determine how good a driver is, by his actions on the road and by his behavior in the car - whether he shouts at other drivers, whether he observes the rules of the road. In the case of unmanned vehicles, the person does not have such an opportunity, so he can only trust the developers and press releases in the media. Watson will “calm” passengers by answering questions like “why we stopped” (“not to crush a pedestrian”), “how long we will stay in traffic” (“10 minutes judging by the speed of movement”), “where to go to eat” and etc.

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