Fully Autonomous Vehicles - Visions of the future or still reality?

Since the invention of the modern car in 1886 by Karl Benz, it has been bringing pleasure to every one of us. For nearly 130 years, the automotive industry has been a force for innovation and economic growth. Now, in the 21st century, the pace of innovation is speeding up and the automotive sector is facing a new kind of technological revolution as it approaches 'fully autonomous vehicles'. Self-driving vehicles clearly impact the experience of passengers. Sooner or later, it may become possible for automobiles to drive autonomously and successfully to their destinations. How will this technology change the relationship between people and their automobiles? How will self-driving vehicles change the transportation sector and our freedom of mobility as we know it today? If autonomous cars succeed, how will they change our world? This book has a focus on autonomous driving from various perspectives; it looks at what an autonomous car is and how it may come to be commonplace on our roads, as well as the factors that could prevent its development and adoption. It also reviews the potential benefits of these vehicles and how they might impact different aspects of our lives. The book also examines the challenges and hurdles that face driverless vehicles and considers some solutions to these obstacles to enable successful market penetration. Aside from the social and economic consequences of autonomous vehicles, this book also emphasizes the technical point of view. It describes the technological inventions and engineering concepts which are necessary to operate self-driving vehicles. In summary, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in driverless cars and makes some projections for the future. Autonomous cars no longer exist merely in the minds of children and science fiction writers. They are real and will be on roads sooner than you think

Michael Nikowitz was born in Vienna (Austria), in 1986. From an early age, he was interested in the field of technique. After he finished secondary technical school with a focus on mechatronics, he graduated from the University of Applied Sciences (Technikum Wien) in 2011, with a Master of Science in Engineering in the field of Mechatronics & Robotics. After working in the field of industrial robots, he changed his fields of interest to technical optical systems. After several years of working as a laser engineer in the field of laser systems, he finally moved to the field of advanced propulsion systems and automated vehicles. Currently he is working as coordinator for automated vehicles at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology.