VTT 's robot car now sees through fog

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland says it is one step closer to creating a safe automated vehicle through upgrades made to its Marilyn robot car. The vehicle can now see through foggy and snowy conditions, navigating without stopping. Additionally, VTT says, the car can see humans through fog and avoid accidents automatically. Marilyn now has light imaging, detection, and ranging (Lidar) mounted on its roof, which the company claims enables it to see wavelengths beyond the human senses.
May 15, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
814 VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland says it is one step closer to creating a safe automated vehicle through upgrades made to its Marilyn robot car. The vehicle can now see through foggy and snowy conditions, navigating without stopping.


Additionally, VTT says, the car can see humans through fog and avoid accidents automatically.

Marilyn now has light imaging, detection, and ranging (Lidar) mounted on its roof, which the company claims enables it to see wavelengths beyond the human senses.

Matti Kutila, VTT’s project manager, says: "Although Marilyn's vision is limited to roughly 30m in thick fog, the new Lidar type allows the car to be driven slowly rather than having to fully stop.”

The car now features optical component wavelengths via the 1550 nanometre Lidar and has additional intelligence for its software design to improve sensor capabilities. Software modules have been built in for the filtering of point clouds and the assessment of scanner reliability.

However, Marilyn's automotive radars and Lidar's detection of non-metallic obstacles and resolution is limited, particularly when trying to recognise shapes.

For more information on companies in this article

VTT

Related Content

  • Intertraff shows D-cop speed and red light enforcement camera
    March 24, 2014
    Intertraff is unveiling its next generation speed and red light enforcement camera, D-cop. The company, which has installed hundreds of cameras worldwide from the USA to India, has been developing and producing ANPR cameras and software alongside speed and red light cameras for 15 years.
    Read More
  • New series of Sony block cameras
    February 2, 2012
    Sony's latest FCB E-Series of colour block cameras, which cover a variety of features, optical zoom ranges and advanced capabilities including progressive scan imaging, is designed to provide original equipment manufacturers and systems integrators with the right camera for an expanding number of applications including security, intelligent traffic, unmanned vehicles, low vision, inspection and videoconferencing.
    Read More
  • Mexico’s Durango-Mazatlan highway sets tunnel safety standard
    September 14, 2016
    Mauro Nogarin looks at the management of the longer tunnels on Mexico’s Durango-Mazatlan highway. In recent years the National Infrastructure Fund of Mexico has increased investment in the installation of ITS systems on selected highways to increase road safety. One such major investment is the 230km long Durango-Mazatlan highway which is 12m in width and has an average speed of 110km/h.
    Read More
  • Audi Urban Intelligent Assist research programme launched
    May 21, 2012
    A new research initiative launched by Audi, its electronics research laboratory in Silicon Valley and four top US universities aims to develop technologies focused on easing the congestion, dangers and inconveniences that often confront drivers in the world's biggest cities. The new three-year Audi Urban Intelligent Assist research initiative aims to take connected car, driver assistance and infrastructure electronics to the next level of providing detailed information so motorists have a better sense of th
    Read More

Highlighted Content