Credit: Google/gizmag.com
Despite all the progress that Google has made with its self-driving-car, there are still many things that they can't do.
Google's system depends on detailed, up-to-date road maps (much more detailed than anything in Google Maps), so it is likely to be confused by changes to roads & traffic lights added since the last update. To date, only a small part of the the United States have been mapped to this degree of detail. Additionally, it has been questioned if mapping all of the US to the required level of detail & keeping the database up-to-date is even possible. Other things it can't deal with are construction zones & uncovered manholes.
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530276/hidden-obstacles-for-googles-self-driving-cars/ / self-driving car know knew parking snow heavy rain drive straight over gaping pothole Google Self-Driving Car robotic vehicle thoroughly tested Chris Urmson director Google car team Google’s cars safely driven more than 700,000 miles public technology issues solved Steven Shladover researcher University of California Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies outstanding challenges legally drive intricate preparations made beforehand exact route driveways extensively mapped data multiple passes special sensor vehicle pored over meter by meter computers humans vastly more effort Google Maps mapping omissions new stop light appeared overnight obey it slow down stop on-board sensors detected traffic obstacles Google’s cars detect respond stop signs temporary signs construction sites complex situation unmapped four-way stop fall back slow extra cautious driving avoid making a mistake identify almost all unmapped stop signs remain safe miss a sign traffic pedestrians and other obstacles Alberto Broggi professor studying autonomous driving Italy’s Università di Parma map-dependent system route changes Michael Wagner Carnegie Mellon robotics researcher transition autonomous driving very early-stage technology maintaining maintain constantly updating map national nation nation’s millions miles roads driveways steering wheel required states allow testing David Fierro, spokesman DMV Nevada Google run runs test car’s sensors /
