All the artificial intelligence (AI) and processing power in the world won’t help an autonomous vehicle (AV) if there’s a lack of effective motion control. Any motion control system in a driverless or highly automated vehicle must be able to process control commands on longitudinal and lateral movement to maintain the correct path. What that path is and the obstacles it must take into consideration will vary considerably from one use case to another. An urban environment represents arguably the most challenging application for developers, as the variables at play are almost unlimited.
This hasn’t deterred Motional, however. The joint venture between Aptiv and Hyundai has been road testing its autonomous driving system in a collaboration with ride-hailing company Lyft for several years. A limited robotaxi service launched for public use in Las Vegas in August 2022, with a safety driver in place behind the wheel for emergencies. This is a precursor to a fully driverless service scheduled to debut in 2023. The service uses a specially developed all-electric SAE Level 4 model based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Automotive World caught up with Luke Fletcher, Senior Director, Planning & Controls, to hear more about the development of this innovative model’s motion control system and how it can meet the comfort and safety needs of riders.
