Despite being bigger than a moving truck and sporting less computing power than a first-gen Apple watch, the Navlab-1 was a surprisingly capable autonomous car
In 1986, a blue Chevy van often cruised around the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania near Carnegie Mellon University. To the casual observer, nothing about it appeared out of the ordinary. Most people would pass by it without noticing the camcorder peeking out from its roof, or the fact that there were no hands on the steering wheel.
The defense department, more specifically, was looking to build autonomous scouts. These scouts would go out on the field and map uncharted territories, where there’s usually a greater risk of hidden mines and enemies — a job humans would before risk their lives for. And thus, the Terragator was born in 1983.
If that sounds like a lot of work for computers from the 1980s, that’s because it was. Since the hardware had not yet caught up to such advancements, it would take ages to churn out the calculations, and as a result, Navlab 1’s speed was limited to 20 mph. Soon enough, Navlab 2 was cruising at 55mph on a 102-mile road trip from Pittsburgh to Erie, Pennsylvania. “That was the first really long trip it had done and convinced me that someday we’d see vehicles that could drive themselves on public roads,” added Dr. Pomerleau.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Best New Ideas in Money: Data and Goliath on Apple PodcastsCollecting personal data is a big business for many companies. Should you be getting a cut? 🎧Listen on ApplePodcasts:
Read more »
Get these must-have Apple accessories for up to 59% offShop charging docks, portable chargers and more.
Read more »
Apple iOS 15.4: The Coolest iPhone Update Of 2022 Is ImminentThere are lots of brilliant things about the next big Apple iPhone software update, but one stands out. Really, it can't come soon enough.
Read more »
Apple could be looking into acquiring Peloton to broaden its fitness initiativesWedbush analysts have stated in a note to investors that Apple could be one of the potential buyers of fitness equipment company Peloton.
Read more »
Sasse presses Google and Apple on hosting 'PRC mandated spyware' with Olympics appSen. Sasse is accusing Google and Apple of facilitating Chinese spyware on their platforms.
Read more »
Apple's Newest Acquisition Could Mean Changes for Apple MusicThe tech giant just bought a startup that uses AI to transform songs.
Read more »