All JargonShare by Email

Self-driving car

Keywords

What exactly is a self-driving car?

A self-driving car – also known as an autonomous car – is one that can move along a road with little or no need for human control. It does this by using a range of cameras and sensors, such as radar, LiDAR and GPS, to ‘see’ what is around the car, with an on-board computer using this information to drive the car and avoid any obstacles in its path.

Related Jargon

What exactly is meant by autonomous driving?

Autonomous driving means that a car can move along a road with little or no need for a human to control the car.

Read more
How does LiDAR work in cars?

LiDAR - ‘light detection and ranging’ - is a type of sensor that works by sending out pulses of infrared light millions of times a second, and measures how long they take to come back after bouncing off objects close to it.

Read more
What is ADAS and how does it work?

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) have been developed to automate many of a car’s safety systems, with the aim of reducing the chances of human error, which account for over 90% of all collisions on the road.

Read more
What is lane-keeping assist?

Lane-keeping assist (LKA) works alongside lane departure warning (LDW) technology to keep a car within a marked lane on the road.

Read more
What is adaptive cruise control?

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is a form of cruise control that uses sensors at the front of a car to maintain a steady speed and a constant distance from the car in front, keeping pace with the traffic.

Read more
What is autonomous emergency braking?

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems use cameras and radar to help cars avoid crashes, by spotting dangerous situations early and warning the driver.

Read more
What is GPS and how does it work?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of satellites that sends information about time and location to a vehicle’s navigation system.

Read more
What is a lane departure warning system?

A lane departure warning (LDW) system is a form of electronic driver assistance that warns the driver when their car begins to stray outside of its lane.

Read more
How do parking assistance systems work in a car?

Parking assist systems use cameras and sensors to help a driver park a car safely.

Read more
What is a pedestrian detection system on a car?

Pedestrian detection systems are one of the current generation of driver assistance systems that use radar and cameras to spot potential collisions.

Read more
How does traffic sign recognition work?

A traffic sign recognition (TSR) system uses the forward-facing camera fitted to a car to scan the roadside and ‘read’ traffic signs indicating the speed limit.

Read more