What You Need to Know About Autonomous Cars and Big Data

For the automotive industry to continue developing, it needs big data. Just as cars in the past have used gas and electricity, future autonomous cars will need big data to operate. 

In other words, an autonomous car is useless on the road without a constant and dependable stream of data. Without big data, there wouldn’t be a fighting chance for autonomous cars to become a widespread mode of transportation. More than just that, an autonomous car needs to be able to understand what to do with the received data and act on the information quickly and accurately.  

From the sensors that are required (and obtain lots of data) to the ways an autonomous car utilizes big data, read on to discover important things you need to know about autonomous cars and big data. 

1. Autonomous cars gather a lot of big data from sensors. 

To safely operate, an autonomous car requires a variety of built-in sensors that can obtain, process, and analyze information in real time. Generally, autonomous cars need to utilize three types of sensors: cameras, radars, and lidars – all of which you can learn more about at an autonomous vehicle technology exhibition. 

Cameras provide the car with a 360-degree view, as well as identify objects and people, and ascertain distance. However, weather conditions can often affect the ability of the cameras to do their job. 

Luckily, they don’t affect short and long-range radar. These sensors use waves to eradicate blind spots and help with lane-keeping and parking, as well as measuring the distance between other vehicles. Additionally, lidar employs laser instead of radio waves to generate 3D images of surroundings and map them. 

Due to the substantial amount of information being collected, autonomous cars must have software that can quickly process and analyze big data. It is only by being connected to a network that a vehicle can pass information from all their sensors to the cloud, while simultaneously responding to changing conditions. 

2. An autonomous car can do a lot with big data. 

In addition to the sensors listed above, an autonomous car must also be fitted with AI software, a cloud server, GPS, and tools to track and regulate its speed and direction. It is through this data collection that an autonomous car can navigate possible situations on the road, such as emergencies, traffic, and changing road conditions. 

By leveraging big data, an autonomous car can obtain information and then prepare and act based on this accumulated data. Additionally, it can map its surroundings in thorough detail and recognize its range, speed, and distance using cameras and lidar. Furthermore, big data will enable autonomous vehicles to interact with other cars on the road, as well as with road signs, lane markers, traffic lights, etc. This network of communication requires big data.

3. Big data has infinite potential. 

That being said, it isn’t only an autonomous car that utilizes (and benefits from) the gathered data. 

For example, using this big data, an automaker will be able to remotely detect a problem with a car and promptly notify the driver through the vehicle. 

Additionally, big data in these cars can improve custom insurance plans based on a driver’s performance. 

In a similar vein, the behavioral insights that are derived from big data (such as preferred gas stations drivers and music playlists) can be employed in marketing, sales, and customer service.

For businesses that manage fleets of cars, the big data of connected cars makes it a much more efficient and optimized process. And, on the city planning side of things, the big data from connected vehicles will help improve road planning, warning systems for dangerous spots, and safer pedestrian walkways (just to name a few things). 

In other words, big data from connected vehicles will be used in a variety of ways ranging from research and development, design and manufacturing, logistics and distribution, sales and marketing, and customer services. 

If you are interested in learning more about the future of connected and autonomous vehicles, make sure to purchase your Dubai Self-Driving Transport Congress tickets. 

—
AUTHOR BIO

Ahmed Bahrozyan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Public Transport Agency – Roads and Transport Authority in the United Arab Emirates which is responsible for providing for the needs of public transport in the city. He is also Chairperson of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport organizing committee