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news
Ar Drone (CC licensed by Lee via Flickr)Drones warning drivers of hazards ahead would provide a "sixth sense" says Seat
Car manufacturer Seat is working on a system where drones would detect potential hazards in the road and transmit alerts to drivers. The technology could be used in areas with poor visibility, says the firm.
A video published on the Independent website shows a test in Robledillo de la Jara, a small village in Spain.
A hovering drone, picks up a cyclist via sensors and cameras and then sends a message to the 5G-connected car’s dashboard, which notifies the driver of an obstacle ahead. The process apparently takes just five milliseconds.
César de Marco, Head of 5G connected car at Seat, said: “We’ve seen how the car is able to communicate with its surroundings in the city, and now in rural areas, too.
“In this pilot test we added a drone that sends the information to the cellular network, which sends it to the vehicle, and the driver can see the information displayed on the instrument panel.
“What we aim to do is employ technology for the benefit of road safety. Drones will protect areas where there is poor visibility or that are difficult to access.”
Tests of the 5G connected car have also been conducted in urban environments with infrared cameras, sensors and the like embedded into local infrastructure to communicate with the car.
These included sensors at traffic lights and pedestrians crossings which notified the driver when someone was about to cross the road.
In 2014, we reported on a conceptual design called The Cyclodrone, “a flying beacon that can be configured to fly ahead of and behind a bicycle rider on roads to improve visibility and reduce the chances of being struck by a vehicle.”
Design consultancy Frog, which also brought the world the Sony Walkman, explained: “The drone is paired to the rider’s mobile phone and flies along a predetermined path programmed before the ride.
“Sensors in the drone maintain a safe distance from the rider using a combination of an Infrared sensors and WiFi connection strength.
“The large beacon on top creates a highly visible warning to cars for safer solo outings on narrow one-lane roads and a camera records dynamic video of each ride.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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16 comments
I really like the parking sensors and especially the reversing camera on my car. Can't say they have ever stopped me from actually reversing into anything but I like the extra visibility into what would otherwise be a blind spot.
The one safety aid which irritated me to the point of turning it off in vehicle settings was the lane departure warning.
As for cycling with a guardian angel drone to inform car sensors of my presence? Seems like a cop out by companies developing sensors and systems ultimately for self driving vehicles. I'd be semi happy to fit a discrete radar / lidar reflector if they want to send me a free one, but the onus should absolutely be on detecting cyclists, pedestrians, wildlife and other obstacles without the need for artificial 'hi viz' tags.
You know when cars were first invented and you had to have a person with a red flag walking in front of you?
Well this is the 21st century equivalent. And it's a similarly shit idea.
Come on, making a car easier to mechanically operate is very different to making half arsed attempts at taking the thinking out of driving.
All this crap about drones doing this and that and being able to do everything we can think off.
How BIG is the bloody battery in this drone.
A drones battery only lasts about 45 minutes. What about the 23 hours and 15 minutes.
I wouldn't worry about it. Cars spend only 5% of their time going anywhere, the rest of the time they're either parked, or looking for a parking space.
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Yes lets put some drones in the sky to help stop car drivers being fuckwits... what could possibly go wrong.
Like parking sensors, this just makes a driver lazy. Was in a car with someone who reversed their car into a wall because the beep failed to go off...
I hate parking sensors with a passion, the person who ajudges the distance to the bleeps is a muppet, have borrowed my sons car a couple of times this year and it drives me potty how far away you are when the thing is having an epi or starts beeping when you're a miles away! You can pretty much say that all the sensors/driver aids are to offset how crap/lazy drivers have become, it's about having a vehicle that has 'more' and is attractive/more salesworthy than about safety. The legislation written fails to understand the root problem of road safety, you see this on building sites aplenty also, just totally ignoring the basic prinicples of H&S, winds me up something chronic
We could redress the problem of road safety without needing to build in devices or fly drones and it be far more effective but the solutions are not palatable to the majority, human life and well being/safety come a very distant second to profit and keeping ones job as a politician!
And don't get me going on synchromesh, or the bloody automagic choke. What's wrong with people?
Two things that are not even remotely the same as driver 'aids' do you have any grasp of the problem with regards to the mental aspect of driving/road safety and how these things affect that, there's a similar but less exaggerated affect in the world of cycling too/
But please explain how exactly does a syncromesh or an auto choke have any bearing on road safety? You people come out with stuff and yet clearly don't even grasp the very basics of the problems at hand!
Car manufacturer Seat is working on a press release for a system that will never see the light of day but which may generate some column inches for their cars which are bought by people who can't afford a VW but wouldn't be seen dead in a Skoda. ENDS
I look forward to reading the following news stories:
A lorry driver has been sentenced to a £1.50 fine and 10 minute community service for his part in the death of a 31 year-old mother of three. The defendant, who was drunk, driving on the wrong side of the road and using his phone at the time of the incident denied death by dangerous driving as the victim wasn't using her drone. "If she'd been using her drone, she'd still be with us now and the defendant wouldn't have to go through all of this" stated Mr Bullshit, the defendant's solicitor.
"caution, faulty drone lying in the road"
Completely bonkers. ONE drone might "work" - but wait till there's dozens of the bloody things.
Sh!t - Audi/BMW/Seat drivers on the road ... ... ... and NOW fighting over air-space.
Wrong kind of drone. We need these:
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Or drivers could, you know, just slow down if they can't see what's around the next bend.