Google’s driverless cars learn how to use their horns
(c)iStock.com/nubumbim
Google’s self-driving cars are set to adopt the use of the horn, according to the technology giant’s monthly report, pledging that it will be “polite, considerate, and only honk when it makes driving safer for everyone”.
The tech giant revealed that the car horn will be in use only to inform others of the vehicle’s presence in instances when another car is backing out of a driveway or swerving into a lane. The test drivers have been aiding the cars in understanding the appropriate use of the horn. The feature has been tested inside the vehicle so that test drivers can help the software ascertain the appropriate use of the horn.
Google said: “Our goal is to teach our cars to honk like a patient, seasoned driver. As we become more experienced honkers, we hope our cars will also be able to predict how other drivers respond to a beep in different situations.”
Google has trained the self-driving cars to use the horn differently in different situations. For instance, a car moving out of the driveway may be on the receiving end of two short toots while a long blast may be reserved for those who swerve dangerously into another lane. As of today, the company’s cars have traversed more than 1.6 million miles in four different cities over seven years.
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