Automobile technology is growing, developing, and evolving at a rapid pace. Today, the concept of self-driving cars is gaining a lot of popularity. Many automobile companies are also working on developing hardware for all types of autonomous vehicles. Some companies are way ahead in terms of real-world practical experience and testing than others. Here, let us take a look at the most popular players in the autonomous vehicle industry.
Waymo
Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. This company is way ahead of others working in the same field. Its progress can be measured in terms of the number of vehicles that are in operation, the sophistication of its technology, and the kilometers driven, which is 16 billion simulations and 32 million in the real world. Besides having features such as radar sensors and camera, the cars from Waymo also have microphones that help in the detection of emergency vehicles using its autonomous functionality. Currently, a Waymo Society of Automotive Engineers is operated in Phoenix, Arizona. Concurrently, prototype testing of SAE Autonomy Level 5 fully driverless vehicles is underway.
GM Cruise
It is also one of the most popular players in the autonomous vehicle industry, which is worth looking at. The Cruise division of General Motors has the second-largest autonomous fleet in the world, 180 vehicles undergoing testing. These cars have been driven more than one million miles or 1.6 million kilometers. These vehicles look very much like the standard hatchback by Chevrolet Bolt, but almost 40 percent of the car parts have been modified for self-driving. The company enjoys a rich heritage of approximately 111 years, and its immense experience gives it a competitive edge over other players in this category.
Argo AI
Argo AI setup by Ford Motor Company is presently testing 100 vehicles in various cities all over the country. The company has invested $1 billion in a Pennsylvania-based firm but is essentially an independent venture. The $2.6 billion invested was attracted by the business from the largest automaker in the world, Volkswagen. VW and Ford do not see Argo AI producing their own vehicles like GM’s Cruise or Waymo by Alphabet, but they sure want to manufacture self-driving technology for other players in the market. Initially, they might be coming up with delivery firms and robo-taxis for fleet-based services.
Tesla
Tesla has been a perennial competitor among the most popular players in the autonomous vehicle industry. It has the capability to come up with a greater number of production vehicles that are capable of advanced autonomy levels than other manufacturers.
The future of autonomous or self-driven cars is fast approaching. Many automobile manufacturers are engaged in research and development of these vehicles with high-end technology. The most popular players in the autonomous vehicle industry are on track to success, and we will soon be able to find a lot of self-driven vehicles on the road.
