Recent research forecasts the value of the autonomous vehicle (AV) market reaching US$557bn by 2026. Automakers and tech companies are racing to make Level 4 and 5 AVs a reality, but ensuring AVs are safe, secure, desirable and economically viable requires extensive testing. The ability to combine the data from high numbers of AV ‘miles-driven’ on private proving grounds and public roads is seen as necessary to bring the technology closer to reality, but each presents its own considerable challenges.
The miles-driven and disengagement figures currently reported by companies operating in California, for example, are often contested; some believe the solution lies in virtual simulation, but others believe only real-world testing is the answer. Both, however, are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with simulation software making considerable advances, and proving grounds creating highly realistic environments for testing AVs.
Crucial will be the securing of public trust in automated drive technology; the March 2018 Uber crash in Phoenix, Arizona had a significant impact on public confidence in autonomous drive technology, and led to major changes in the way automakers test AVs.
Automotive World’s latest report presents thoughts, perspectives and insight on real world and virtual autonomous vehicle testing from a range of industry stakeholders including car and truck manufacturers, suppliers, academia and automotive industry analysts.
In this report:
- Executive summary
- A comprehensive approach to AV testing is necessary, say automakers
- 400 million test cases: industry must grasp the scale of the AV challenge
- Meaningful miles: tech companies strive for testing efficiency
- Transparency about testing needed to build consumer trust
- Public testing brings AV trucks closer to reality
- AV testing reliant on combining public, private and virtual test tracks
- Plug the safety gap: driver training for driverless vehicles
- Testing and validation complexity advances along with AV development
- Multiple testing approaches needed to reduce AI bias
- Safety goes proactive with new crash test consortium
‘Special report: How do you test the autonomous vehicle?’ provides insight from a range of industry stakeholders, including:
- AB Dynamics
- American Center for Mobility
- Aptiv
- Daimler
- Dataspeed
- Elektrobit
- Green Hills Software
- Humanetics
- Malardalen University
- Metamoto
- Navigant Research
- Perceptive Automata
- rFpro
- Scania
- Toyota
- TuSimple
- University of Alabama
- Volvo Trucks
