Imagine "hands-free" driving where steering, acceleration, and braking are controlled by your car's computer. You don't do anything but sit and enjoy the scenery or read a book. This may sound like something out of the Jetsons, but with the development of the Automated Highways, it's not so far fetched.
WHO IS CREATING IT...
As early as the 1950s, General Motors researchers were exploring automated vehicle technologies and highway information systems. But it was in 1991 that major progress was made when the U.S. Department of Transportation passed the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. As a result, General Motors played a key role in forming the National Automated Highway Systems Consortium (NAHSC). Jim Rillings, a General Motors research scientist, serves as the overall program manager. NAHSC is made up of nine core participants including General Motors, Hughes Aircraft, Delco Electronics, Bechtel, Caltrans (California Department of Transportation), Carnegie Mellon University, Lockheed Martin, Parsons Brinckerhoof, and the University of California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways. Along with contributing management expertise, the partners are responsible for 20% of the development phase cost.
HOW IT WORKS...
With magnetometer sensors mounted in the front and rear bumpers, vehicles are guided by a track of magnets planted in the pavement. The magnets are about an inch in diameter and are embedded into the pavement at the center of each lane. The magnets feed information about the upcoming road, such as curves, merge lanes, or exits, to an on-board computer for analysis. In a millisecond, the computer determines the car's precise location in the lane and communicates to the steering actuators which way to guide the car. To keep a safe speed and traveling distance between vehicles, highly sensitive radar sensors are used to locate the positions of other vehicles on the road. These radar sensors communicate with the on-board computer, which then controls the brakes and throttle to maintain the right speed and distance. After exiting the Automated Highway, you'll take back control of your vehicle on the surface roads.
WHEN IT WILL BEGIN...
The technology for AHS is available today. In fact, AHS has been tested in various locations using different vehicles. One example is a recent test that was conducted in San Diego at the Demo '97 event sponsored by General Motors. Demo '97 was a collaborative effort involving industry, government, and universities to test the initial Automated Highway System prototype. Nearly eight miles of Interstate 15 north of San Diego was outfitted with tens of thousands of high-strength magnets. For this particular test, eight Buick LeSabres, equipped with internal guidance systems, were used. Traveling in a line eight to nine feet apart, the cars moved at a speed of 50 mph. The drivers completely relinquished control of their vehicles, waving their hands out the window as proof.
Although the test run went smoothly, the long-term goal of an automated car and highway system is still more than a decade away. Currently, the NAHSC is working to establish universal guidelines for the system so that it will be consistent from state to state. By standardizing the system, the goal is to make it possible for you to get on the highway on one coast and not touch the wheel until you reach the opposite coast.
THE BENEFITS ...
"Automated vehicle technology has the potential to significantly
improve safety on our nation's highways," says Ken Baker, vice president of General
Motors Global Research and Development. "That will reduce traffic accidents, conserve
energy, improve U.S. productivity, reduce congestion, and make driving more relaxing and
enjoyable."