award-en-02

How does an autonomous vehicle work?

start

Autonomous driving is already a reality, and holds the promise of safer roads and enhanced mobility.

We have created this resource to provide you with information about automated vehicles, their architecture and challenges of autonomous logistics.

This course has been developed within the european project AWARD (All Weather Autonomous Real logistics operations and Demonstrations), bringing together industrials and researchers all over Europe.

info

About this course

Next

Previous

How does an autonomous vehicle work?

The eyes

The brain

Discover how autonomous vehicles "see"

Discover how autonomous vehicles process information

Take your time and feel free navigating the contents.There is no particular order in discovering the different units, and you can skip those parts that you are already familiar with.

If you want to delve into a topic, just click on the "+ info" button, and explore the additional ressources.

The process

Explore the overall process for autonomous driving

The architecture

Discover what these vehicles are "made of"

Next

Previous

The architecture

Like a traditional, non autonomous, vehicle, AV contains physical components: the hardware.It also is equipped with software, which is responsible for the automated tasks, and is able to analyze and react during the driving process.Click on the dots to discover the different aspects of the autonomous vehicle architecture.

Next

Previous

The eyes

The brain

Discover how autonomous vehicles "see"

Discover how autonomous vehicles process information

The process

Explore the overall process for autonomous driving

The architecture

skip to the end

Discover what these vehicles are "made of"

How does an autonomous vehicle work?

Feel free to explore this part again!

Next

Previous

The process

The biggest challenge of autonomous driving is replicating the process of understanding the environment, just like a human would do.To do so, AVs are equipped with different devices, that allow the vehicle to see, understand and react.Click on the buttons to discover how it all plays out.

Next

Previous

The eyes

The brain

Discover how autonomous vehicles "see"

Discover how autonomous vehicles process information

The process

Explore the overall process for autonomous driving

The architecture

skip to the end

Discover what these vehicles are "made of"

How does an autonomous vehicle work?

Next

Previous

The eyes

Just like us, humans, an AV uses different "senses" to get information about its surroundings. To do so, an AV is equipped with sensors that map the environment using different technologies.Here is an example of an autonomous shuttle in Germany.Click on the dots to discover the sensors and what they "see".

info

video

Next

Previous

The eyes

Wondering what an autonomous vehicle actually "sees" ? Here is an example of all the data it collects and processes.The quantity of processed data at each moment is impressive!

Next

Previous

The eyes

The brain

Discover how autonomous vehicles "see"

Discover how autonomous vehicles process information

The process

Explore the overall process for autonomous driving

The architecture

skip to the end

Discover what these vehicles are "made of"

How does an autonomous vehicle work?

Next

Previous

The brain

The different sensors collect the information about the environment and then transmit it to the built-in computer.The computer then processes the data following three steps : perception, decision and planning, control.

info

Click on the icons to discover the steps the vehicle undertakes to react.

Next

Previous

The eyes

The brain

Discover how autonomous vehicles "see"

Discover how autonomous vehicles process information

The process

Explore the overall process for autonomous driving

The architecture

skip to the end

Discover what these vehicles are "made of"

How does an autonomous vehicle work?

Next

Previous

go to the course page

You have completed this episode!

discover AWARD

go to the next episode

go to the episodes review

What do you want to do next ?

Previous

This techology uses space-based satellite navigation system in order to provide current location information. Antennas are positioned on the vehicle in order to locate it at all times.Using GPS allows loading a map of the area around the vehicle. An AV uses this information to navigate autonomously, and to collect information about other vehicles.

GPSGlobal Positioning System

The vehicle moves fast. It appears to be a school bus. The regulation on this road tells me that this vehicle has priority. I have to stop now.

Human-computer interface

The vehicle is equipped with an interface that allows the user to interact with it. This means, for example, that the passengers aboard are able to take over the control of some parametres of the driving: indicating the destination, driving style, or other preferences.

Actuators

The computer sends concrete signals to the different parts of the vehicle, that are actually able to perform the needed action.The actuators are, for instance, the accelerating or the braking system. These parts of the vehicle physically accomplish the decision made by the computer.

The device on the AV emits electro-magnetic waves that "hit" the different objets in the surroundings and receives the returned signal. In this way, the sensor is able to estimate the position of the object and its velocity.There are usually several radars positioned on the vehicle: on the top, on the sides and / or on the front bumper. They are used to detect moving objects in the surroundings.

RadarRadio Detection and Ranging

Sensors

The different sensors gather information about the environment, using different technologies (cameras, lidar, radar). They are the "five senses" of the vehicle.The sensors transmit the information to the data processing units, a computer.

A lidar uses laser technology to map the surroungings. There are usually several lidars on one vehicle. It emits laser beams that "hit" the target and then return. Based on the time that it takes to the signal to return, the sensor calculates the distance and the shape of the target.Lidars are used to detect obstacles on the way.

LidarLight Detection and Ranging

My radars and cameras detect a moving vehicle on my path

Activating the braking system in order to stop before potential collision.

Safety

An autonomous car is constantly exchanging data with other devices (cars, traffic regulation, control center, etc.). It is crucial that this data does not get "stolen" or "corrupted", since it could endanger the driving process or the passengers aboard.The different embedded software solutions have, thus, to be able to guarantee safety at all times. In this way, the car remains under control of the driver or of the control center.

Software

Basically, "software" refers to the different programs and data that tell the computer how to perform a specific task. In our case, the computer is embedded in the autonomous car.The software part of the vehicle is in charge of analysing, understanding and reacting. It is the "brain" of the vehicle.

The video cameras detect road signs and other road users (pedestrians, other vehicles, bycicles, etc.).In order to be able to use this information at night, in the absence of light, the vehicle is also equipped with infrared cameras.

Video cameras

Hardware

The hardware part of the vehicle are its physical components : chassis, wheels, engine / transmission, etc., but also the different sensors.You will discover the sensors further in this episode.

Data processing

The information gathered by the sensors is then fused and processed by a computer.The computer provides an analysis of the information, takes a decision and transforms the decision in a signal that will trigger a concrete action.All of this in some milliseconds, just like our brain!