Ford's self-driving cars are equipped with LIDAR sensors so delicate, they can detect a few of Julie Andrews's favorite things. Raindrops on roses? Not a problem. Snowflakes that stay on your nose and eyelashes? They can identify those too.
The Velodyne LIDAR sensors Ford uses project 2.8 million laser points a second, producing 3D images detailed enough to help drive through silver-white winters before they melt into spring.
Apart from being able to determine the weather conditions, Ford's self-driving Fusion Hybrid stays on the road by locating itself on the map within an inch of accuracy. That means even if it can't see the lane markings, it still know when it's in a lane.
Smart monitoring sensors constantly check themselves to ensure there is no degraded performance from snow or grime.
These clever autonomous snow-driving cars are quickly becoming a few of our favorite things at Metro Ford Inc. Visit us to test drive a new Ford vehicle in Independence, MO. We can even show you which models feature "semi-autonomous" technology similar to what the car in the video uses.
Categories:
Video