Vehicle automation towards self driving cars

In this age of machines, humans are going automatic.

Anyone who hears this is bound to believe, something is wrong. What is really meant by automation? The term automatic refers to an activity that is performed without a person to directly control it. So,  is the action performed really independent of the person who initiated the process? To analyse the scene further, what really is unknown in the automated system is the knowledge of the controller/ initiator. This is a game changer - how can one remove the knowledge of the controller and inscribe it on the product. These threads of questioning  suggests that in automation human involvement is hidden but not completely made invisible. The debate over automation being beneficial or not is present among many communities. The importance should thus focus upon whether a middle path between human resource and automated resource can be made. In the past we have witnessed technology playing a key role in changing human values and attitudes. The current attention in this post is to establish such a compromise approach to better utilize the current resources (human as well as machines/automated) to uphold the integral human values - viz - equality, environmental consciousness and human safety.

The current attention surrounding self driving cars is motivated by several human factors which makes the roads busy and unsafe. The reliability factor in such systems is the use of vehicular communication systems and efficient sensors. However, the main human factor in the cities is solo driving. So the natural question is if the effective use of the road real estate possible with vehicle automation. This needs not just automation, but some technology that can change the human attitude. One solution for this was given through the integrated transport app (in the blog post : Travelling that .. ). This article discusses one step ahead. The intend is to make possible  a system where the user can rely on his vehicle to reach the nearest public transport station and enable the car to self drive back home. In such a situation, people would be keen on better utilizing the existing infrastructure.

Travelling that goes smart

Travelling and transportation are posing as a main challenge in the face of  developing India. At one end we have wide classes of vehicles on the road - starting from four seated motor bikes to, small cars, medium cars, luxury cars to busses and trains. Still we experience the scenario of a passenger standing on the foot board of the public transport system. With these setbacks, India has the advantage that it is well connected  by cellular mobile phones. It is the right beginning to think about a integrated app which is a solution for all personal transport requirements. In this context it has become a possibility to use the pooling system of online cabs which is well developed.

The idea here is to provide a one place integrated transport solution, ie the user can get a comfortable hassle free travel from place A to place B. The integrated solution comes in the form of a mobile app. The app requires a social login, for instance Facebook or Gmail or Twitter. On completion of the signing in the user will be enquired about the start point and the destination. The choices present would be a public transport system a pool system or a private owned car. The map shall also come up showing the social friends in nearby locations who are willing to pool. The integrated solution for the public transport is  a door to door service which will be taking the needs of the passenger from the staring point to the final destination. The door service is to be available with help of Autorikshas and taxi cabs.

The integrated transport system is automated to collect the cash in the form of mobile wallet. The public transport system option is flexible as it allows for seat reservations. The possibility of seat reservation is possible by ensuring connectivity between the vehicle and the "transport" server.

The Indian Scenario

The Indian transportation planning is quiet distinct from the ones that are addressed in the West. The major drawback is the lack of viable real estate and infrastructure to cater to the needs of the population. In many a places, the public transport exceeds its "capacity"(if there is one) and literally there is not a piece of land where one can put his/her feet. The incorporation of the integrated app is to benefit the commuters in atleast two folds. Firstly, the commuters  becomes aware that the world is a place where one has to live and let live. Public consciousness is the key attitude shift that can be brought. Since the app can make personalized suggestion on choosing the fastest, cheapest or the greenest routes - she/ he is made to think twice before using her/his own private vehicle.  Second, the system can be used for accurate and real time survey. This means that we can replace the present system where the bus conductors note down the number of passengers who covered  a certain distance,  The data set obtained from the app is a boon for the transport coorporation for the city or the state since the real data is available, while planning for additional routes or on optimizing the trips or even in efficient budgetary allotment. 

A Final Note

The number of people who owns a private car does not tell anything about the development of a country, but what matters is the productivity that is derived by the public transport network. This is the right eye opener for many of the nation planners to invest more on optimizing the available resources rather than to build expressways and fly overs.