Waving goodbye to the large spinning Lidar sensor, Acura's latest
automated development vehicle has been introduced in California.
Based on the RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD sedan, the second-generation of
Acura's autonomous car benefits from updated sensors and an improved aesthetic,
combining a more compact Lidar and updated Radar, GPS and camera sensors,
joined by higher performance CPUs and GPU and by "more intelligent
software algorithms to support more complex testing scenarios", as Acura
explains.
Functioning with the same concept applied in the AcuraWatch safety
and driver-assistive suite, which is available on all 2016 MY sedans and SUVs
made by the company, the vehicle will be tested by Honda Research Institute USA
(HRI-US) at GoMentum Station, on a 5,000-acre automated and connected vehicle
proving ground in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The location contains 20 miles of paved roads and urban
infrastructure, which will "help accelerate the development of automated
and connected vehicle technologies". Founded in 2003, HRI-US conducts
research in areas of computer and materials science and it's part of the
manufacturer's goal to introduce automated driving technologies on its
vehicles, around 2020.
