As the race to provide a car that can fully function without a driver continues to heat up, many Knoxville residents are wondering just how long it will really be until traditional driving really becomes a thing of the past. To many of us on location here at West Chevy, there is nothing better than firmly grabbing hold of the wheel, going through the gears until you hit optimum speed, and feeling everything the pavement has to offer with full-forced results. Just this year, we marveled at the release of the new Blade Runner movie: the technology of the future is definitely portrayed well, and stokes our imagination with a fervor.
As the future collides with the very traditional driving mantra, not all that many skilled drivers are used to will be lost! On long trips, passengers, as well as drivers, will soon be sleeping, and the journey will be mapped out long beforehand. GM has now made the move to officially ask the government to approve test fleets of the latest Chevy Bolt version, which is sans steering wheel, accelerator, or brake pedal. This type of approval is necessary before any manufacturer can operate a fully driver-less vehicle for various types of commercial use.
During November, GM stated that it expected to have the ability to transport goods as well as people with self-driving vehicles in large metro areas sometime during 2019. Since the acquisition of Cruise Automation during spring of 2016, GM and Cruise have worked hard to develop four different generations of autonomous Chevy Bolts. As things progress rapidly, and other beta tests have been completed, the latest version has absolutely no steering wheel, and there are no pedals with which to speed up or slow down. The Doors open and close automatically, and LiDAR software fulfills the duties of sensor and laser-guidance technology.
Before a vehicle can be slated to transport people, it has to complete a rigorous standards testing that is created and mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One legal issue is that those standards always require strict compliance with human driver tests, as well as manual steering, braking, and acceleration performance. NHTSA has had no chief former administrator on duty since their previous expert departed during late November of 2016, to take on a role with a San Francisco autonomous technology firm.
Nonetheless, it is now very evident that traditional driving will soon be changed forever. Until then, we'll still be in love with all of the driver-controlled options here at West Chevy, and the feel that you do get when hitting the open road for some solitude. As advancements on the Bolt continue down the pipeline, we are poised to keep everyone updated on how a hands-free environment will make the trip less strenuous, and ultimately change the landscape for transportation permanently!
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