最近，以安全著稱的沃爾沃汽車（Volvo Cars）與汽車駕乘共享服務(wù)平臺(tái)優(yōu)步（Uber）宣布將一起開發(fā)下一代自動(dòng)駕駛（AD）技術(shù)，并最終實(shí)現(xiàn)SAE 5級(jí)全自動(dòng)汽車（即無(wú)剎車、油門、轉(zhuǎn)向），這一消息可能會(huì)給那些害怕、懷疑甚至反感自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)的人帶來(lái)一絲安慰。
沃爾沃曾公開表示，2020年后，公司將保證任何駕乘沃爾沃新車型的用戶絕不會(huì)遭遇任何致命或嚴(yán)重受傷事故。可以看出，此次沃爾沃與優(yōu)步的合作也與2020目標(biāo)相一致。這個(gè)大膽的聲明首次出現(xiàn)在2007年，當(dāng)時(shí)沃爾沃推出了大量安全功能，并堅(jiān)信這些功能可幫助公司實(shí)現(xiàn)最終目標(biāo)。
此外，沃爾沃也相信自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)可以剔除人為錯(cuò)誤，而人為錯(cuò)誤一直是車禍發(fā)生的主要原因。自動(dòng)駕駛可以將駕駛安全提升至過(guò)去難以企及的新高度。
沃爾沃的信心絕非毫無(wú)道理，這家公司擁有一個(gè)龐大的事故分析數(shù)據(jù)庫(kù)。據(jù)了解，公司的數(shù)據(jù)庫(kù)可以追溯回1970年，收集了涉及7.2萬(wàn)名人員的4.2萬(wàn)次事故（包括輕微事故和致死事故）。沃爾沃汽車集團(tuán)（Volvo Car Group）政府事務(wù)部總監(jiān)Anders Eugensson表示，這些信息可以形成一個(gè)巨大的數(shù)據(jù)矩陣，為公司的2020年目標(biāo)提供評(píng)估指導(dǎo)。
Eugensson認(rèn)為，60年前，沃爾沃工程師Nils Bohlin發(fā)明了3點(diǎn)式安全帶，極大地提高了汽車的安全。60年后的今天，自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)不僅將“飛入尋常百姓家”，而且甚至可以讓安全帶和安全氣囊“永遠(yuǎn)退休”。
作為沃爾沃40系副總裁，HelenBergström Pilo是沃爾沃安全高管團(tuán)隊(duì)的關(guān)鍵成員。該團(tuán)隊(duì)負(fù)責(zé)確保公司的較小車型也能提供與旗下較大車型同等水平的安全和功能。
SAE5級(jí)自動(dòng)“前進(jìn)一大步”
Eugensson告訴《汽車工程》，“現(xiàn)在我們正在研發(fā)SAE 4級(jí)自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)。”他解釋說(shuō)，這與真正的SAE 5級(jí)自動(dòng)駕駛?cè)杂邢喈?dāng)大的差距，需要巨大投資，但可以給整個(gè)社會(huì)帶來(lái)巨大收益。隨著安全水平不斷提升，不僅交通運(yùn)輸管理，醫(yī)療保健領(lǐng)域也會(huì)從中受益。
在沃爾沃和優(yōu)步的聯(lián)合項(xiàng)目中，這兩家公司均會(huì)使用同一款基本車型來(lái)搭載自動(dòng)駕駛系統(tǒng)，實(shí)現(xiàn)各自的自動(dòng)駕駛戰(zhàn)略。沃爾沃和優(yōu)步預(yù)計(jì)將建立長(zhǎng)期行業(yè)合作伙伴關(guān)系。
目前，本次聯(lián)合項(xiàng)目將采用一款與現(xiàn)行版XC90、S90和V90同樣來(lái)自沃爾沃模塊化可拓展平臺(tái)架構(gòu)（SPA平臺(tái)）的基礎(chǔ)車型。SPA的可擴(kuò)展性，可以為這款車提供自動(dòng)駕駛所必需的安全、冗余及其他相關(guān)功能。
優(yōu)步首席執(zhí)行官Travis Kalanick表示：“每年有超過(guò)一百萬(wàn)人死于車禍。這些悲劇本可以通過(guò)自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)避免，但我們無(wú)法獨(dú)立完成這一任務(wù)。”因此，優(yōu)步和沃爾沃的合作誕生了。這倆家公司可以借助彼此的專業(yè)，分別實(shí)施各自的全自動(dòng)駕駛系統(tǒng)全球推廣計(jì)劃。
由于各個(gè)國(guó)家的政策要求有所差異，自動(dòng)駕駛汽車的上市時(shí)間存在一定差異。另外，為了在各個(gè)地區(qū)證明全自動(dòng)駕駛的潛力，公司還必須承擔(dān)更多成本開支，具體包括在歐洲各大主要城市投入大型自動(dòng)駕駛汽車，進(jìn)行相關(guān)道路測(cè)試。
根據(jù)Kalanick的說(shuō)法，90-95%的事故均由人為錯(cuò)誤產(chǎn)生。那么，這是否意味著全自動(dòng)汽車可以避免90-95%的車禍嗎？
“差不多吧。汽車可以從容地完成每一個(gè)決定，絕不會(huì)疲憊或分心。”Kalanick表示，“但車輛仍需與一些普通道路用戶互動(dòng)，比如行人和自行車等。”另外，自動(dòng)駕駛汽車還面臨其他車輛（包括傳統(tǒng)汽車和自動(dòng)駕駛汽車）帶來(lái)的挑戰(zhàn)，比如其他汽車可能會(huì)在十字路口闖紅燈等。
Kalanick承認(rèn)自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)可能無(wú)法將事故發(fā)生率降低95%，但他相信沃爾沃的系統(tǒng)可以在未來(lái)1到2年內(nèi)充分發(fā)展，變得更加智能。“此外，如果自動(dòng)駕駛汽車進(jìn)入行人很多的區(qū)域，那我們可能不得不非常小心，緩慢駕駛。”
2017年將迎來(lái)第一步
目前，大部分自動(dòng)駕駛系統(tǒng)將用到的技術(shù)均已登陸沃爾沃汽車，包括雷達(dá)、立體相機(jī)、超聲波雷達(dá)、衛(wèi)星導(dǎo)航以及任何可以協(xié)助車輛從各個(gè)方向觀察周邊環(huán)境的技術(shù)。沃爾沃汽車甚至可以在通過(guò)低橋或進(jìn)入停車場(chǎng)時(shí)觀察車輛上方的情況。
Eugensson對(duì)沃爾沃的未來(lái)技術(shù)充滿信心，他補(bǔ)充說(shuō)：“也許，未來(lái)的汽車將成為一個(gè)移動(dòng)起居室。如果我們可以制造出絕不會(huì)發(fā)生車禍的汽車，那么‘駕駛員’也可以轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)身來(lái)面向乘客溝通交流，甚至一起用餐！事實(shí)上，駕駛員這個(gè)概念可能會(huì)成為歷史。”
Eugensson預(yù)測(cè)，未來(lái)30年后，可能沒(méi)人需要坐在如今的駕駛座，那時(shí)的汽車將實(shí)現(xiàn)完全自動(dòng)。
這話從一位大牌汽車廠商高管口中說(shuō)出似乎有些驚人，但也反映了全自動(dòng)級(jí)別的自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)已經(jīng)觸手可及。
雖然沃爾沃仍會(huì)將“安全”作為公司的主要賣點(diǎn)，但事實(shí)上各個(gè)品牌的自動(dòng)駕駛汽車均需符合非常嚴(yán)格的法律標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，也就是說(shuō)可能達(dá)到同樣的安全水平。因此，沃爾沃必須調(diào)整自己的主要賣點(diǎn)。事實(shí)上，沃爾沃已經(jīng)有所行動(dòng)，公司計(jì)劃通過(guò)提升質(zhì)量、提高品牌形象，憑借集安全性、舒適度與功能性于一身的綜合實(shí)力進(jìn)軍豪車市場(chǎng)。
Eugensson說(shuō)，“但這并不是單純把各種技術(shù)一股腦塞進(jìn)車?yán)?，我們必須確保將每一件事做到極致。”
除了生產(chǎn)較大車型的SPA平臺(tái)，沃爾沃還擁有一款生產(chǎn)較小車型的緊湊型模塊化平臺(tái)（CMA平臺(tái)）。據(jù)了解，沃爾沃的較小車型也必須在2020年前達(dá)到與較大車型同等水平的安全和自動(dòng)駕駛標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。沃爾沃40系（較小車型）副總裁Helena Bergström Pilo表示：“SPA和CMA平臺(tái)有些相似，但主要生產(chǎn)不同尺寸的車型。第一款基于CMA平臺(tái)的沃爾沃車型將在2017年年底問(wèn)世。我們暫時(shí)不會(huì)公布具體細(xì)節(jié)，但目前已經(jīng)問(wèn)世的40.1和40.2概念車均可以展示這個(gè)平臺(tái)的功能。”
CMA平臺(tái)可以支持包括純電動(dòng)系統(tǒng)在內(nèi)的多種動(dòng)力系統(tǒng)，從而為沃爾沃實(shí)現(xiàn)終極安全目標(biāo)帶來(lái)更多的設(shè)計(jì)和工程方面的可能性，并同時(shí)在競(jìng)爭(zhēng)激烈的汽車市場(chǎng)內(nèi)不斷降低重量和成本，提升舒適度和質(zhì)量。
Pilo指出，所有車型面對(duì)的共同挑戰(zhàn)是自動(dòng)駕駛。“我們必須繼續(xù)優(yōu)化自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)，直到這種技術(shù)真正可以在所有交通環(huán)境下實(shí)現(xiàn)全自動(dòng)駕駛。這是沃爾沃所面臨的挑戰(zhàn)，也是整個(gè)汽車行業(yè)的挑戰(zhàn)。”
The news that Volvo Cars, renowned for its safety focus, and ride-sharing company Uber, are working together to develop next generation autonomous driving (AD) cars eventually reaching full SAE Level-5 standard (no steering wheel or controls), may bring comfort to those who are scared, skeptical or just scorn the advent of being driven by such radical robotics.
But this latest development sees a further step to AD being taken in parallel with Volvo’s avowed intent that no one traveling in its new models from 2020 onwards will be killed or seriously injured. That bold statement was first uttered in 2007, presaging the introduction or development of a plethora of safety features that the automaker believes will enable it to achieve its target.
Volvo is also confident that AD will take out the human factor as the major cause of auto accidents. It promises to project driving safety into a once unbelievable new dimension.
Backing Volvo’s confidence is a massive database of accident analyses stretching back to 1970. It concerns 42,000 accidents, from minor to fatal, involving 72,000 vehicle occupants. This information forms a matrix to assess its aims for the 2020 target, says Anders Eugensson, Director Governmental Affairs at Volvo Car Group.
As the 2020s unfold, by then more than 60 years after Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin innovated the 3-point seat belt, not only is AD likely to become commonplace “sometime in the future,” but restraints and airbags may no longer be needed, believes Eugensson.
SAE Level 5 "a big step"
“We are working now on SAE Level-4 of autonomous driving technology,” he told Automotive Engineering. Reaching Level-5 will be a big step and one which will take a lot of investment, he explained, but will bring huge benefits to society in general, not just via traffic management but also in regard to health-care economics as safety levels soar.
The Volvo-Uber link will see both companies using the same base vehicle type for the next stage of their own autonomous strategies in what is expected to be a long-term industrial partnership.
The new base vehicle will be created off Volvo’s modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) used by the current XC90, S90 and V90 models. The SPA’s scalability will allow required safety, redundancy and other features central to AD operation.
Uber Chief Executive, Travis Kalanick, states: “Over one million people die in car accidents every year. These are tragedies that self-driving technology can help solve but we can’t do this alone.” Hence the link-up with Volvo that will enable both companies to meet anticipated schedules for full AD introduction internationally.
That schedule will vary depending on differing legislation in individual countries, a fact that adds to the investment needed just to demonstrate the potential capability of fully autonomous systems. The cost includes running large fleets of autonomous-capable test vehicles in major European cities, which Volvo is now undertaking.
Underlining Kalanick’s words, Eugensson states that 90-95% of accidents are due to human error. So does that mean that fully autonomous vehicles will see accidents reducing by a similar figure?
“Almost. The car can make every decision and will not get tired or distracted," he said. "But there would still be an interaction with some ‘normal’ road users.” This means pedestrians and cyclists, and there remain some specific challenges regarding other vehicles (conventional and AD), particularly at intersections, with such dangers as other cars running a red light.
While he admits that the accident rate may not go down by 95%, in a year or two Volvo's systems will have more intelligence to deal with this, he believes. "Also, if an autonomous car enters an area where there are a lot of pedestrians we have to be very cautious and drive very slowly.”
First step coming 2017
Most of the technology that will be used for autonomous driving will be an extrapolation of systems already used on Volvo cars. These include radar, stereo cameras, ultrasonics, satellite navigation – and anything and everything that allows the car to be aware of what surrounds, it or approaching, from any direction — even above, such as a low bridge or entry into a parking lot.
Eugensson is so confident of the efficacy of future Volvo technology that he adds: “Maybe the future car will be a mobile living room, too. It could be used as a way of socializing with other occupants because if we produce cars so there are no crashes you, as the ‘driver’ would be able to turn around and maybe even have a meal on the move! In fact, there would not be a driver as such."
No one would need to be in what now would be the driving seat; the vehicle would be totally autonomous, he projected, offering a 30-years-from-now forecast.
It is a seemingly remarkable statement from a senior executive of an established OEM but it underlines the level of technology advances that are now within reach.
Although Volvo would retain its safety USP, all other autonomous vehicles would also need to conform to very high legislated standards, which would in theory, create a level safety technology playing field. Therefore Volvo has to modify its USP. It is already doing that, planning to lift its quality and image into the premium class, combining safety with high levels of comfort and capability.
“But it is not just about putting technology into a car; we have to assure our customers that we have done everything absolutely thoroughly,” says Eugensson.
Complementing Volvo’s large car SPA is its Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) for smaller cars that must also meet Volvo’s safety criteria for 2020 and its AD plans. Helena Bergström Pilo, Vice President of Vehicle Line 40 (smaller series cars), says: “SPA and CMA are related but are of different sizes. The first car using the CMA will appear at the end of 2017. We are not releasing details yet but we have shown two concepts, the 40.1 and 40.2 which show the architecture’s capability.”
The CMA can take a range of powertrains including pure electric, which broadens the design and engineering challenges of meeting Volvo’s ultimate safety aim, while keeping mass and cost down, comfort and quality up, in a fiercely competitive segment.
But the common challenge across all model ranges is AD, noted Pilo: “It is to expand that technology and to the level where it can really be called fully autonomous in all traffic situations. That is the challenge that faces Volvo — and the automotive industry in general.”
Author: Stuart Birch
Source: SAE Automotive Engineering Magazine
沃爾沃和優(yōu)步的自動(dòng)駕駛合作研發(fā)項(xiàng)目將使用一款來(lái)自沃爾沃SPA平臺(tái)的車型。
作為沃爾沃40系副總裁，HelenBergstr?m Pilo是沃爾沃安全高管團(tuán)隊(duì)的關(guān)鍵成員。該團(tuán)隊(duì)負(fù)責(zé)確保公司的較小車型也能提供與旗下較大車型同等水平的安全和功能。
沃爾沃的IntelliSafe（智能安全）自動(dòng)駕駛儀接口是公司自動(dòng)駕駛研發(fā)項(xiàng)目的組成部分。
沃爾沃政府事務(wù)總監(jiān)Anders Eugensson相信，自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)仍有進(jìn)一步提升的潛力。