Viva Brighton Issue #78 August 2019
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
FEATURE<br />
.............................<br />
Photos by Joe Fuller<br />
Driverless cars<br />
Blind Veterans Centre trial<br />
One of the many benefits of driverless cars<br />
is the opportunity they could bring to those<br />
unable to drive, including people with visual<br />
impairments. An autonomous vehicle (AV)<br />
company, Aurrigo, are currently trialling their<br />
‘driverless pods’ at the Blind Veterans Centre<br />
in Ovingdean, with feedback helping to make<br />
them more user-friendly for the disabled<br />
community.<br />
I take a ride in ‘Arthur’ – named after Blind<br />
Veterans UK founder Sir Arthur Pearson –<br />
with the first blind veteran to take part in<br />
the trial, Mark Threadgold, and Aurrigo Test<br />
Engineer, Tom Sheridan. The ride is very<br />
smooth: we potter around a small circuit at a<br />
walking pace, past designated ‘pod stops’ in the<br />
grounds. Internal cameras record passengers’<br />
reactions and thoughts, while another camera<br />
picks up on guide dogs’ experiences in the car.<br />
Tom explains that they have installed a ‘base<br />
station’ to improve the accuracy of the GPS<br />
system. “Take your phone, that communicates<br />
just with the satellite… that’s about five metre<br />
accuracy, whereas this is three centimetres.<br />
The base station has a fixed position, so this<br />
pod talks to the base station, not the satellite,<br />
making it much more accurate.” Like most AV<br />
companies, Arthur uses LiDAR technology<br />
(light detection and ranging), with small<br />
lasers creating a 3D image of surroundings in<br />
a similar, but more accurate way than radar<br />
technology.<br />
Aurrigo’s vehicles are exploring the importance<br />
of voice-activated controls, and Mark shares his<br />
....82....
Change language