BMW Partners with Intel, Mobileye to Ready Self-Driving Cars for 2021
Prototype coming in the near future
BMW is working with Intel and Mobileye to develop technology that can help bring self-driving cars to mass production by 2021.
Through the partnership, the companies hope to develop solutions for different stages of autonomy. That means reaching the "eyes off" level 3 stage before moving on to the "mind off" level 4 stage, which allows drivers to engage in leisure activities during the ride. Ultimately, BMW wants to reach level 5, which doesn't need a human driver inside the vehicle at all.
"We are working systematically to establish the required technological building blocks: a high-definition real-time map, state-of-the-art sensor cluster and high computing power with artificial intelligence to create the real-time environmental model and motion control and system integration," BMW development boss Klaus Fröhlich said in a statement.
BMW, Intel, and collision avoidance system developer Mobileye will make a common technology platform available to other automakers, although it's unclear which ones will take part. The technology goes hand-in-hand with BMW's iNEXT vision for future mobility, and the automaker previously said that by 2021, it'll bring to market an iNEXT all-electric autonomous car.
The companies will demonstrate an autonomous prototype in the near future. In 2017, we can expect to see fleets with extended autonomous test drives, BMW says.
BMW's announcement comes amid reports of the first confirmed fatality involving Tesla's Autopilot semi-autonomous driving technology. Tesla partnered with Mobileye on the Autopilot system. By 2018, Mobileye will offer Lateral Turn Across Path detection capability for its auto braking systems so the technology can react to the type of situation that reportedly occurred in the fatal Tesla Model S crash.
Source: BMW
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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