Bosch and Mercedes-Benz are joining forces to develop fully automated and driverless cars by the beginning of the next decade. The two companies have already begun development on a series of fully automated (SAE Level 4), and driverless driving (SAE Level 5) vehicles for public use. The project combines the total vehicle expertise of the world’s leading premium manufacturer with the system and hardware expertise of the world’s biggest supplier.
By introducing fully automated and driverless driving to the public, both companies aim to improve the flow of traffic in cities, enhance safety on the road and provide an important building block for the way traffic will work in the future. The technology will, among other things, boost the attraction of car sharing. It will allow people to make the best possible use of their time in the vehicle and open up new mobility opportunities for people without a driver’s licence, for example.
The prime objective of the project is to achieve the production-ready development of a driving system which will allow cars to drive fully autonomously in the city. The idea behind it is that the vehicle should come to the driver rather than the other way round. Within a specified area of town, customers will be able to order an automated shared car via their smartphone. The vehicle will then make its way autonomously to the user and the onward journey can commence.
Source: Daimler
