Baidu is claiming that its robocar has achieved level 5 (L5) autonomous driving functionality. The vehicle can now be operated without human intervention. It also need not have a steering wheel. The company claims that the self-driving vehicle will have the same efficiency as that of human drivers. The company takes its claims a step forward by stating that driving could be safer than that of human drivers. Self-driving efficiency is categorized into 5 levels with level 5 at the top. This means that level 5 is the most efficient and intelligent technology. Until now, there were no vehicles with L5 efficiency on the road. Most of the robotaxi services offer an L4 rating for self-driving. It restricts autonomous driving to select circumstances.
Baidu CEO Robin Li stated in a recent conference held by the company that robocars will take up the car industry with its autonomous driving. He added that robocars can become an efficient assistant as well as a friend. The company has designed the robocar, unlike the conventional car designs. It also varies significantly from other autonomous cars available now. It has a transparent glass roof along with automatic gull-wing doors. These are all incorporated with sensors. On the interior side, it lacks a steering wheel and foot pedals. It is provided with zero-gravity seats and an intelligent display that comes with a control pad.
The robocar has enhanced voice and facial recognition. It also provides improved AI technology. All the sensors enable robocar to sense the external and internal circumstances and act accordingly. Baidu has said that the robocar will not just be a vehicle but a driver and an assistant. It will be able to respond to the users’ needs and learn from them to provide a personalized experience. The company added that Apollo, which is its autonomous driving service has completed more than 400,000 rides.
