Google’s Robotic Cars Have Learned To Honk
There are different driving cues that help to alert fellow drivers of dangers on the road. The ability to honk is a great asset to the human driving experience. There are, of course, necessary human skills that help to determine when honking is necessary.
There are different driving cues that help to alert fellow drivers of dangers on the road. The ability to honk is a great asset to the human driving experience. There are, of course, necessary human skills that help to determine when honking is necessary. The human intuition and reasoning is something that has been an ongoing challenge for the Google car engineers.
Subtle actions, like not completely stopping at a stop sign, have left Google cars frozen in place. The computer programs that help these vehicles accomplish their daily tasks must be programmed to respond to an ongoing list of variables that occur in everyday driving situations. Humans have the advantage of being able to reason out how to act in different circumstances, while the computer does what it is programmed to do. While software engineers are working improved technology, some other etiquette details will have to be considered.
Horns on cars have become a very cultural and social commodity. They are used in some communities as mans to say hello and acknowledge people, not just as a warning of an impending negative event. Google must consider the differences depending on country and region where the car will be driving. Busy cities with a lot of traffic can be very loud with constant noise from brakes and horns. It is important for people to be able to differentiate a warning from among all of the other noise.
Google is thinking of a sequence of 2 lighter honks to alert drivers and pedestrians of smaller issues, while a more intrusive sound will be used to imply serious impending danger. The goal is always to keep the Google car driving in a safe and efficient manner. The increased safety of the general population will, hopefully, be a part of the new Google honking implementation. Google cars will continue to improve their driving experience to make their vehicles fit in better with the human drivers.
Google Self-Driving Car Project monthly reports (PDF)
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Helena Marsh
Helena Marsh is the Editor-in-Chief at TrendinTech, where she leads editorial strategy and oversees coverage across artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and enterprise technology. With more than a decade in technology journalism on both sides of the Atlantic, she previously served as a senior editor at Wired UK and covered the technology sector for The Guardian, following the rise of the big platforms, the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the regulatory push from Brussels and Washington. Helena holds an MA in Journalism from City, University of London and is a regular speaker at Web Summit in Lisbon and CES in Las Vegas. She believes technology reporting should be rigorous and plainly written, so readers understand what actually changes for them rather than what a company's announcement promises.
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