Autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid Tested at Night
Whether you like it or not, autonomous cars will eventually be on our roads. The manufacturers are hard at work testing this new technology.
Ford believes that the autonomous car could also be used at night. According to the NHTSA, there are three times as many crashes when the sun goes down. This is why the manufacturer is working on a system that can drive the car by itself in the dark.
The Ford Fusion Hybrid has been fitted with an autonomous driving system and is undergoing testing in Arizona. The LiDAR and the car’s computers can manoeuver the Fusion in absolute darkness without difficulty. The system is more precise and can react faster than any human in the same conditions. Furthermore, the sedan doesn’t need any camera system to help it maintain its trajectory when hit by lateral winds.
The car uses 3D high-definition maps to "know" where it is. This map gives it detailed information about its surrounding, including trees, topography, buildings and even traffic signs.
The LiDAR sensors uses 2.8 million infrared lasers each second. This is more than enough for the car to be aware of its surrounding. Even better: the system works whether it’s noon or midnight.
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- Even without the autonomous system, we like the Ford Fusion Hybrid