Autonomous Ford vehicles will be equipped with drones

Hi-Tech Adina Camarasu
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US carmaker Ford is planning to join the usage of drones with autonomous vehicles for a better orientation in traffic, especially in poorly or not at all mapped areas, said one of those responsible for this project, according to AFP.

According to Alan Hall, spokesman for the technology department of Ford, the idea of combining the two arose during a session of interactive discussions between scientists and engineers working on the project of Ford autonomous vehicles. This proposal was the subject of a patent filed at the US Patent Office (USPTO).

The system uses drones launched from autonomous vehicles, which are designed to carry a map of the environment in which the vehicle travels, the latter communicating with the system by some sensors that are attached to the ceiling.

Pieter Gillegot-Vergauwen, vice president of the manufacturer TomTom GPS navigations, stated during a seminar organized by Microsoft in Detroit that his team is working on developing cartographic systems for autonomous cars, both in the urban centers and on highways.

People will be able to drive their autonomous cars even in the forests or in nature and the drones will guide them, said Hall.

Ford and Chinese drone manufacturer, DJI, have recently organized a contest to determine whether a drone can take off from a vehicle and if it’s safe to land back on the car while in motion.

Scientists are trying to determine if a drone can use its camera to guide the vehicle in some disaster-affected areas or where the roads are impassable.

Such a function would be very useful for emergency situations.

One of the engineers who participated in the contest said that the system would be integrated with an infrared technology in order to operate in the dark or under lower visibility conditions.