未來，如果捷豹路虎（Jaguar Land Rover）全地形自動駕駛汽車的車主決定離開車道開啟一段越野旅程，那車輛搭載的自動駕駛技術(shù)，也將在碎石小道或山間小路上繼續(xù)為車主提供指導(dǎo)，自動查看車輛前進(jìn)方向的各種信息，無論是地表狀況、頭頂?shù)臉渲€是具有威脅性的巨石。對于這一點(diǎn)，捷豹路虎的工程師很有信心。
此外，除了在道路駕駛環(huán)境下的應(yīng)用外，未來V2V（車間）通信功能也將在越野領(lǐng)域發(fā)揮作用，前方車輛可以不間斷地向后方車輛發(fā)送更新有關(guān)障礙物和潛在威脅的預(yù)警信息。
捷豹路虎開展了一項(xiàng)專注越野互聯(lián)車隊(duì)的研發(fā)項(xiàng)目，以上這些功能都是項(xiàng)目研發(fā)中的一部分。捷豹路虎產(chǎn)品戰(zhàn)略總監(jiān)James Towle表示，“未來，我們將提供支持所有路面和地形特征的自動駕駛駕駛功能。”
在未來四年中，捷豹路虎將借助一隊(duì)擁有100輛車的車隊(duì)，進(jìn)行互聯(lián)/自動駕駛技術(shù)真實(shí)駕駛工況測試。目前，捷豹路虎至少正在進(jìn)行10個(gè)相關(guān)研究項(xiàng)目。
但是，這并不意味駕駛員可以在車輛穿越叢林時(shí)隨便打盹。Towle解釋說，自動駕駛系統(tǒng)和無人駕駛系統(tǒng)之間存在明顯區(qū)別。因此，捷豹路虎的研發(fā)主要集中在為駕駛員提供技術(shù)支持。Towle表示，“我們不是想簡單地用自動駕駛系統(tǒng)替代駕駛員。”
此外，捷豹路虎還決心保留旗下產(chǎn)品的固有特色，但同時(shí)從另一方面培養(yǎng)用戶對車輛及駕駛員輔助技術(shù)的信心。
傳感器支撐起自動駕駛系統(tǒng)
在進(jìn)行自動駕駛汽車項(xiàng)目時(shí)，捷豹路虎與博世（Bosch）合作，共同整合下一代傳感器技術(shù)，并提升車載計(jì)算機(jī)的處理能力。“舉個(gè)例子，我們正在提升立體攝像頭的像素，”博世消費(fèi)者首席工程師Sven Lanwer表示，“將來，就可以提供更加精準(zhǔn)的信息；此外，互聯(lián)車輛通信網(wǎng)絡(luò)的帶寬也將有巨大提升，從而保證更多功能的實(shí)現(xiàn)。”
Lanwer正在與捷豹路虎高級研發(fā)經(jīng)理ChrisHolmes開展密切合作。Holmes曾表示，傳感器技術(shù)的不斷進(jìn)步與軟件開發(fā)的結(jié)合，可以帶來更多全新解決方案。比如，捷豹路虎為了實(shí)現(xiàn)停車協(xié)助功能而開發(fā)的超聲波傳感器，現(xiàn)在也成為了公司預(yù)測性越野自動駕駛汽車研發(fā)項(xiàng)目的一部分，可用于預(yù)測地表的變化。
除了信息質(zhì)量需要提高，對信息數(shù)量的控制也必不可少。如果不進(jìn)行信息篩選就直接提供給駕駛員，造成接收信息過多，是否也會帶來一些危險(xiǎn)？
“這個(gè)問題很難回答，”Holmes表示，“在公司占地300英畝的英國試車場中，我們向你展示的是一些已經(jīng)成型的基本組成部分。這就是一種可能性不斷擴(kuò)展的藝術(shù)，隨著傳感器和軟件方面的進(jìn)步，自動駕駛技術(shù)也不斷高速發(fā)展，可以實(shí)現(xiàn)一些高級功能。我們正在進(jìn)行多種嘗試，尋找提示駕駛員的最佳方法。”
捷豹路虎的工程師向SAE《汽車工程》雜志（微信號:SAEInternational）透露，公司可能會增加對抬頭顯示器和語音命令系統(tǒng)的應(yīng)用。但在危險(xiǎn)或緊張環(huán)境下，駕駛員最應(yīng)該關(guān)注的是車外的情況，因此這個(gè)時(shí)候在車輛顯示器上推送各種信息毫無作用。分級語音警報(bào)可以在不營造緊張氣氛的情況下為駕駛員提供預(yù)警信號嗎?也許有可能。
當(dāng)然了，駕駛員必須充分信任車輛提供的信息，正如同他們信任今天的制動和轉(zhuǎn)向系統(tǒng)一樣。
Towle表示：“智能汽車永遠(yuǎn)都不會分心，甚至可以提前‘感知’到水平線以外的情況。我們進(jìn)行全地形自動駕駛研究，主要是為了盡可能地?cái)U(kuò)大自動駕駛汽車在真實(shí)生活中的適用范圍，無論是道路行駛還是越野環(huán)境，當(dāng)然還有不同的天氣狀況。”
他補(bǔ)充說，隨著時(shí)間的推移，駕駛員的確需要學(xué)著去“相信”自動駕駛汽車。
捷豹路虎對自動駕駛的未來充滿信心。公司互聯(lián)技術(shù)總監(jiān)Peter Virk補(bǔ)充說：“在不到未來三年內(nèi)，我認(rèn)為全世界售出的所有新車都將會是互聯(lián)車型。”但他同時(shí)強(qiáng)調(diào)，在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)間為駕駛員提供適當(dāng)?shù)男畔⒈夭豢缮佟?/span>
DSRC技術(shù)是實(shí)現(xiàn)隊(duì)列駕駛功能的關(guān)鍵
雖然捷豹路虎在自動駕駛汽車研發(fā)中采用了大量的既有技術(shù)，比如超聲波雷達(dá)、雷達(dá)、立體攝像頭、激光雷達(dá)和無線電系統(tǒng)等，但未來此類技術(shù)的發(fā)展可能更多局限在進(jìn)化層面，而難以實(shí)現(xiàn)根本的變革。
捷豹路虎向筆者展示了一系列公司的自動與半自動系統(tǒng)重點(diǎn)研發(fā)項(xiàng)目，其中包括一項(xiàng)基于地形的自適應(yīng)車速調(diào)節(jié)系統(tǒng)（Terrain Based Speed Adaptation）。具體來說，該系統(tǒng)可以利用車輛的立體攝像頭掃描前方道路，然后依據(jù)返回的地表信息做出決定，自動適當(dāng)調(diào)節(jié)車速，并通過懸掛設(shè)置提升乘駕舒適度。
地表標(biāo)識（Surface ID）是全地形自動駕駛技術(shù)的基本參數(shù)之一。車輛的超聲波傳感器可以掃描車輛前方5米內(nèi)的情況，為人工智能提供信息以評估周邊環(huán)境，然后做出捷豹路虎口中的“適當(dāng)?shù)臎Q定”。捷豹路虎掃描了沙地、碎石及雪地等路面信息，并將其寫入數(shù)據(jù)庫。而后，車輛的超聲波雷達(dá)可以交叉參考數(shù)據(jù)庫內(nèi)的數(shù)據(jù)，而后進(jìn)行最優(yōu)的設(shè)置。
捷豹路虎的互聯(lián)隊(duì)列系統(tǒng)（Connected Convoy System）采用無線專用短程通信（DSRC）技術(shù)，可以利用車輛位置、車輪滑移、懸掛高度變化及車輪鉸接等多種信息，實(shí)現(xiàn)隊(duì)列駕駛功能。DSRC技術(shù)可以配合一些現(xiàn)行技術(shù)發(fā)揮作用，比如全地形前進(jìn)控制（All TerrainProgress Control）和地形響應(yīng)（Terrain Response）設(shè)置等。
雖然看起來這些技術(shù)可以在軍事領(lǐng)域發(fā)揮作用，但捷豹路虎的發(fā)言人表示，公司的互聯(lián)隊(duì)列系統(tǒng)主要針對民用領(lǐng)域。
捷豹路虎開發(fā)的另一個(gè)新系統(tǒng)名為凈空高度協(xié)助（Overhead ClearanceAssist），可以在行車方向上存在下掛樹枝或在進(jìn)入凈空高度較低路段時(shí)，警告駕駛員車頂上放置的物品可能會造成一些問題。該系統(tǒng)基于攝像頭發(fā)揮作用，駕駛員在使用時(shí)僅需輸入車頂物品的高度，方便系統(tǒng)計(jì)算車輛總高度，從而在車輛進(jìn)入凈空高度較低區(qū)域時(shí)提供警示。這一系統(tǒng)同時(shí)支持道路和越野應(yīng)用。
捷豹路虎正在研發(fā)的另外一項(xiàng)道路技術(shù)是“安全駛離（Safe Pullaway）”系統(tǒng)。該系統(tǒng)可以協(xié)助駕駛員避免與其他車輛發(fā)生碰撞，一般在環(huán)道或十字路口等駕駛員精神壓力相對較高的環(huán)境下發(fā)揮作用。具體來說，車輛搭載的前向立體攝像頭將密切關(guān)注車輛前方的區(qū)域。如果在攝像頭檢測到前方存在物體的情況下，駕駛員還試圖從靜止開始加速，車輛不但不會前進(jìn)，還會給出視覺警示。
在捷豹路虎的道路技術(shù)演示中，有一處特別值得注意 – 為了增強(qiáng)現(xiàn)有的雷達(dá)自適應(yīng)巡航控制系統(tǒng)（ACC），公司開發(fā)了一款基于車輛-基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施（V2I）和車間（V2V）通信技術(shù)的升級版協(xié)作自適應(yīng)巡航控制系統(tǒng)（C-ACC）。
DSRC無線技術(shù)允許車輛在“幾毫秒”的時(shí)間內(nèi)對前車的信息做出反應(yīng)。后車將跟隨前車，以同樣的速度前進(jìn)，并在同樣的時(shí)刻剎車。DSRC技術(shù)是自動隊(duì)列功能的基礎(chǔ)，隊(duì)列車輛之間的信號延遲僅為0.4秒?，F(xiàn)階段，根據(jù)各個(gè)市場不同，ISO標(biāo)準(zhǔn)對ACC系統(tǒng)的延遲規(guī)定在0.8秒。
經(jīng)過筆者的親身感受，隊(duì)列駕駛車輛在重新啟動時(shí)最初令人擔(dān)憂，而后又讓人放心。緊跟在前車后方可以提高車輛雷達(dá)ACC系統(tǒng)的效果，但卻很容易讓駕駛員精神緊張，畢竟駕駛員不得不克服自己在看到前車的剎車燈時(shí)，跟著猛擦剎車的反射動作。
現(xiàn)階段，相關(guān)法規(guī)將如何規(guī)定，我們還不得而知。但是正如其他自動駕駛功能一樣，即使雷達(dá)ACC系統(tǒng)可能已經(jīng)在合理范圍內(nèi)證明了自己的功能，但這個(gè)復(fù)雜系統(tǒng)到底何時(shí)才能上市，這仍取決于法律法規(guī)和駕駛員/乘客的接受程度。
作者：Stuart Birch
來源：SAE《汽車工程》雜志
翻譯：SAE 中國辦公室
JLR prepares to leave the road — autonomously
JaguarLandRover engineers are confident that when a driver of one of their future all-terrain autonomous vehicles wants to leave the pavement, technology will continue to provide guidance along gravel lanes or mountain trails, automatically checking ahead for anything from changing surfaces to overhead branches and threatening boulders.
And just as future V2V (vehicle to vehicle) communications capability will become available for autonomous on-road driving, it will also be available for off-road, constantly transmitting and updating warning information about obstacles and potential dangers to any following vehicles.
All this is part of a significant R&D program focused on off-road connected convoys. “In the future we will offer autonomous driving over any surface or terrain,” said JLR Product Strategy Director, James Towle.
Over the next four years, JLR will conduct real-world testing of Connected and autonomous technology using a fleet of 100 vehicles. Currently, it is running at least 10 main research projects in this area.
But that doesn’t mean the driver can take a nap while the vehicle claws its way through the jungle. There is a distinct difference between autonomous and driverless system capability, explained Towle. So R&D is concentrating on giving the driver focused technology support: “We aren’t looking at simply replacing the driver,” he said
JLR is also determined to retain the established character of its products while imbuing a different type of emerging trust in the vehicle and its driver-support technologies.
Sensor building blocks
For its autonomous program, JLR is collaborating with Bosch in integrating next-generation sensor technology and processing power. “For example, we are adding more megapixels to stereo cameras,” said Bosch Customer Chief Engineer, Sven Lanwer. “This will increase in future to provide more precise information; bandwidths are going up to give greater capabilities.”
Lanwer works closely with Chris Holmes, JLR’s Senior Manager Research, who said advances in sensor technology allied to software are providing significant new solutions. Ultrasonic sensors developed from those used as parking aids, are part of JLR’s predictive off-road autonomous R&D to anticipate surface changes.
While information quality needs to improve, increased quantity needs to be controlled. Is there a danger of giving the driver too much information by not filtering it sufficiently?
“It is a difficult question to answer,” stated Holmes. “What we are showing you [at JLR’s 300- acre Gaydon, U.K., proving ground] are some baseline building blocks that we are putting in place. It is the art of the possible. Technologies are evolving at a rapid rate based on sensor improvement and, coming together with software advances, are giving high level capabilities. So we are looking at many ways of how to advise the driver.”
This could include increased use of head-up displays and certainly of voice-command systems, the engineers told Automotive Engineering. It is no use in potentially dangerous or stressful situations putting up information on a screen while the driver’s eyes are focused where they should be—outside the cabin. Could tonal gradations of voice alert be considered to soothe and provide confidence without adding to tension? Possibly.
Certainly the driver must have confidence and belief in what the car is telling them, just as he or she has confidence today in brakes and steering operating safely.
Said Towle: “An intelligent car is never distracted because it is connected—it can even be aware of situations developing over the horizon. The aim of our autonomous all-terrain driving research is to make the self-driving car viable in the widest range of real life, on and off-road driving environments and weather conditions.”
He added that over time the driver would indeed learn to “trust” the vehicle.
JLR is confident that this is going to happen. Peter Virk, JLR’s Director of Connected Technologies, added: “In less than three years I predict that every new car sold in the world will be ‘connected’.” But he also stressed that giving the right information at the right time to the driver was essential.
DSRC is key to convoying
While the company is making use of off-the-shelf and established technologies like ultrasonics, radar, stereo cameras, LiDAR and radio systems, these are being improved although it is more a matter of evolution than revolution.
Key autonomous or semi-autonomous programs demonstrated by JLR to the author included Terrain Based Speed Adaptation, which adapts speed automatically to changing surface conditions and also improves comfort via suspension settings. A stereo camera scans the route ahead with features mapped against different target speeds, making decisions about appropriate speeds for conditions.
Surface ID is a fundamental element of autonomous driving on any terrain. Artificial intelligence can assess surroundings and make what JLR describes as “appropriate decisions,” ultrasonic sensors scanning 5 m (15 ft) ahead of the vehicle. Surfaces including sand, gravel and snow are scanned-in to create a database, which is cross-referenced with real time ultrasonic returns, allowing the vehicle to pre-emptively optimize relevant settings.
The Connected Convoy System using wireless Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) uses information including vehicle location, wheel-slip, changes to suspension height and wheel articulation. The DSRC works with current production technologies such as All-Terrain Progress Control and Terrain Response settings.
Although seemingly useful for military applications (a Land Rover bailiwick), a JLR spokesperson said the R&D Connected Convoy system is focused only on civilian applications.
Overhead Clearance Assist, another new system, is aimed at both on- and off-road applications. It can cope with overhanging branches off road or warn the driver that roof-carried objects such as bicycles could cause a problem when entering a low-overhead parking structure. To operate the camera-based system, the driver simply adds the height of anything carried on the roof to the known height of the vehicle and would then be alerted by the system to any likelihood of entrance to a low height area.
On-road technologies under development include a “Safe Pullaway” system to prevent a vehicle colliding with one in front, typically at roundabouts or intersections when driver mental workload is high. A forward facing stereo camera keeps watch on the area immediately ahead of the vehicle. If the driver tries to accelerate from standstill and an object ahead is detected, the car will not move and a visual warning is shown.
Of particular interest in JLR’s on-road technology demonstrations was Co-operative Adaptive Cruise Control (C-ACC) using vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and V2V communications to enhance existing radar ACC systems.
DSRC wireless is used to facilitate reaction within “a few milliseconds” to messages from the vehicle in front. The following vehicles would brake at precisely the same moment and rate as a lead car. This could facilitate autonomous platooning, with a gap time between vehicles of as little as 0.4 s. At present, depending on market, ISO standard for ACC is about 0.8 s.
Sampled by the author on a track, the effect was both worrying (initially) and reassuring (subsequently) as the system was activated. Following very close behind another vehicle improves radar ACC effectiveness but does concentrate the driver’s mind, with a need to overcome the reflex action of braking hard as the red lights of the vehicle ahead illuminate.
Quite what the law would make of this has not been defined. But like most aspects of autonomous driving, it will be legal and driver/vehicle occupant acceptance of such apparently esoteric systems that will determine their introduction—even though their efficacy may have been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Author: Stuart Birch
Source: SAE Automotive Engineering Magazine
全地形自動駕駛功能是捷豹路虎研發(fā)項(xiàng)目的重要組成部分之一，其中還包括隊(duì)列駕駛功能。
捷豹路虎的工程師表示，互聯(lián)越野車隊(duì)中的頭車可以發(fā)出信號，提醒后車前方存在障礙物。
基于地形的速度自適應(yīng)系統(tǒng)是捷豹路虎的全地形自動駕駛研究項(xiàng)目的組成部分。
捷豹路虎的地表標(biāo)識系統(tǒng)采用兩個(gè)定制超聲波傳感器，可以掃描車前5米內(nèi)的地形。
你是否經(jīng)常忘了車頂?shù)男欣罴?？沒關(guān)系，捷豹路虎正在開發(fā)一個(gè)系統(tǒng)，可以提示駕駛員車輛上方存在障礙物或凈空高度有限等信息。
在十字路口或環(huán)島路況下，避免車輛啟動時(shí)的追尾事故也是捷豹路虎的研發(fā)目標(biāo)之一。
捷豹路虎產(chǎn)品戰(zhàn)略總監(jiān)James Towle表示：“未來，我們將能提供支持任何路面和地形的自動駕駛汽車?！?/span>
捷豹路虎高級研發(fā)經(jīng)理Chris Holmes表示，“基于傳感器的發(fā)展，自動駕駛技術(shù)也正以相當(dāng)快的速度進(jìn)步?！?/span>