Self-driving cars represent the transformation process of the automotive industry as autonomous vehicles. Some car brands & automotive giants, with a history of 100 years, compete with technology companies of a few decades. With its artificial intelligence experience, smartphone brands, search engines, e-commerce brands are challenging automotive companies.
Brief History Of Self-Driving Cars
The concept of self-driving cars has been around since the
1920s, but the first vehicle that could truly be considered a self-driving car
was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s by a team of engineers at
Carnegie Mellon University. The vehicle was called Navlab, equipped with
cameras, radar, and a laser rangefinder to detect obstacles in its path.
Navlab could drive itself on roads without human
intervention, although it required detailed maps of the roads and a
pre-programmed route to follow. The car could also avoid obstacles and stop at
stop signs and traffic lights.
The Navlab project was one of the first to demonstrate the potential of autonomous driving and paved the way for further research and development. Today, self-driving cars are being developed and tested by a number of companies worldwide. Lots of car brands continue developing self-driving cars. They are expected to become more common on our roads in the future.
20 Top Self-Driving Car Brands
1. Tesla:
Known for their innovative electric vehicles, Tesla also
offers semi-autonomous driving features under the "Autopilot."
Tesla's Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y all come with Autopilot.
2. Waymo:
A subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Waymo is a leader in
self-driving technology. They have developed hardware and software to power
their autonomous driving systems. Waymo is currently operating a ride-hailing
service with their self-driving minivans in Phoenix, Arizona.
3. Cruise:
Cruise is a subsidiary of General Motors, and they are
developing autonomous vehicles for ride-hailing services. They are currently
testing their self-driving technology in San Francisco and Phoenix. Cruise
plans to launch a commercial ride-hailing service with their autonomous
vehicles in the near future.
4. Aptiv:
Aptiv is a global technology company that provides software,
computing platforms, and other components for self-driving cars. Their self-driving
technology has been used in autonomous vehicles from various companies,
including Lyft and Hyundai.
5. Zoox:
Acquired by Amazon in 2020, Zoox is developing an all-electric, autonomous ride-hailing service. Their vehicles are designed to operate in dense urban environments and will not have traditional driver controls.
6. Aurora:
Aurora is a self-driving technology company developing a
full-stack solution for autonomous vehicles. Their goal is to provide a safe,
reliable, and scalable platform for self-driving cars. They are partnering with
a number of automotive companies, including Hyundai and Toyota.
7. Baidu:
A Chinese technology company, Baidu, is developing autonomous
driving technology for passenger and commercial vehicles. They have partnered
with a number of Chinese automakers to develop self-driving cars, and they have
also developed their own autonomous driving platform, Apollo.
8. Mobileye:
A subsidiary of Intel, Mobileye is developing advanced
driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technology. They have
partnered with a number of automotive companies to provide their ADAS
technology, including BMW and Ford.
9. Pony.ai:
A Chinese self-driving technology company, Pony.ai, is
developing autonomous driving systems for ride-hailing services. They are
currently testing their self-driving technology in China and the United States.
10. Argo AI:
Argo AI is a self-driving technology company developing a
full-stack solution for autonomous vehicles. They are partnering with Ford to
develop self-driving cars for ride-hailing services and working with Volkswagen
to develop autonomous driving technology.
11. Nuro:
Nuro is developing autonomous delivery vehicles for local
goods and services. Their vehicles are designed to operate on public roads and
deliver goods directly to consumers.
12. Uber ATG:
A subsidiary of Uber, Uber ATG is developing autonomous
driving technology for ride-hailing services. They have tested their
self-driving technology in Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Toronto.
13. Yandex Self-Driving Group:
A Russian technology company,
Yandex, is developing autonomous driving technology for ride-hailing services.
They have been testing their self-driving technology in both Moscow and Tel
Aviv.
14. Daimler Autonomous Technology Group:
A subsidiary of
Daimler AG, the Autonomous Technology Group is responsible for developing
self-driving technology for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. They are currently testing
their autonomous driving systems on public roads in Germany.
15. NVIDIA Drive:
NVIDIA is a technology company that
provides hardware and software for autonomous driving systems. Their platform,
NVIDIA Drive, is used by a number of companies to power their self-driving
technology.
16. GM Cruise:
A subsidiary of General Motors, GM Cruise is
developing autonomous driving technology for ride-hailing services. They have
been testing their self-driving technology in San Francisco and plan to launch
a commercial ride-hailing service with their autonomous vehicles in the near
future.
17. Ford Autonomous Vehicles:
Ford is developing autonomous driving technology for
passenger and commercial vehicles. They have partnered with a number of
companies, including Argo AI and Volkswagen, to develop self-driving cars.
18. Volvo Autonomous Solutions:
Volvo is developing autonomous driving technology for
commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses. They have partnered with a
number of companies, including Uber and Daimler, to develop self-driving
trucks.
19. Intel Mobileye:
Intel Mobileye is developing advanced driver assistance
systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technology. They have partnered with a
number of companies to provide their ADAS technology, including BMW and
Volkswagen.
20. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance:
The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance is a partnership between three automotive companies to develop self-driving cars. They partnered with Waymo to develop self-driving taxis and their autonomous driving technology.
Conclusion
Self-driving cars are currently being tested on public roads in many parts of the world. Car brands are racing to develop this technology. But there is no any self-driving car commercially available yet. These tests are conducted under strict regulations and with specially licensed drivers trained to take control of the vehicle if needed.
Local and national laws regulate the use of self-driving cars on public roads, and the regulations vary from place to place. In some places, such as California, self-driving cars are permitted to operate on public roads with a specially issued permit. Still, they must have a human driver who can take control of the vehicle if needed. In other places like China, self-driving cars can only operate on designated test tracks.
Testing self-driving cars on public roads is an important part of the development process. It allows companies to collect real-world data on how their vehicles perform in different conditions. However, it is important that this testing is conducted safely and responsively to ensure the safety of other road users. As self-driving technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see more self-driving cars on our roads, subject to appropriate regulation and approval by authorities.
These 20 self-driving car brands are at the forefront of developing autonomous driving technology. While some focus on passenger vehicles, others work on autonomous delivery vehicles, trucks, and buses. With continued innovation and testing, we may see more and more self-driving cars on the roads in the near future.
Written by: Aykut Alan
COMMENTS