When you think about what an autonomous vehicle is, keep in mind; If a system using sensors, artificial intelligence and mapping technologies comes to life, your predictions are quite accurate. Features such as lane tracking assistant, automatic parking, adaptive cruise control, steering control and speed adjustment are actually the first steps of the autonomous vehicle adventure.
In what direction are autonomous vehicle technologies, which are rapidly developing and having an impact on car prices along with this development, heading? Here are some examples of brands making progress in driverless vehicle technologies.
Tesla
Tesla, one of the first brands that come to mind when it comes to electric vehicles, has standardized the Autopilot feature, which includes Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Automatic Steering features, in all its models as of April 2019. Additionally, the company is working on a driverless robot taxi design called Cybercab. The designs are aimed to hit the roads before 2027.
Waymo
The driverless taxi application targeted by Tesla is actually already carried out by Waymo robotaxis. Waymo is one of the subsidiaries of Alphabet, the parent company of Google. It offers fully autonomous taxi service with its vehicles in pilot regions of America such as San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. According to the statement made at the end of 2024, more than 100,000 paid robotaxi rides are made every week in these three main service areas. In this way, it is aimed that autonomous driving technologies will also benefit issues such as taxi problems and vehicle shortages in big cities.
Mercedes-Benz
Another brand that has made significant contributions to the self-driving car dream is Mercedes-Benz. The Drive Pilot system they developed has an internationally valid advanced automated driving certificate. Moreover, it is the first vehicle manufacturer in the world to make this type of system an option in mass production models. Mercedes-Benzes with the Drive Pilot feature allow you to delegate driving duties to the system at speeds up to 60 km/h under certain conditions.
BMW
Popular German brand BMW continues its driverless car journey with semi-autonomous vehicle features. At the point of autonomous driving; Its models include features such as Traffic Jam Assistant, Steering Wheel, Lane Control Assistant and BMW Night Vision, which makes driving in the dark easier. On the other hand, the Smart Parking feature, which allows you to park autonomously while outside the car, and many smart security features attract attention. BMW stands out among the brands aiming for fully autonomous driving with these developments.
Train
Of course, our local brand Togg is among these international brands. Togg models benefit from partially autonomous driving technologies. Thus, in congested traffic, the vehicle can adjust its speed and change lanes automatically. On the other hand, it offers technologies that ease the driver’s control with autonomous parking, in-car artificial intelligence, smart safety features and driving support systems.
Autonomous vehicle technologies aim to provide a safer and more efficient driving experience by minimizing human errors in traffic in the future. Experts predict that the vehicle that reaches the fully autonomous driving level will not only be a technology product but also an indispensable part of modern cities. As brands continue their intensive work on self-driving vehicles, it seems that we will start to see more such vehicles in traffic.