New EU Project Developing Virtual Co-Driver

LONDON – A car that can drive itself may be one step closer to reality, thanks to a new European Union-funded project now under way in Switzerland.

The 10-partner Bayesian Approach to Cognitive Systems (BACS) project, coordinated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, is creating "thinking" robots that can react to incomplete information in the same way humans and animals do.

For the automotive industry, the aim is to develop a virtual co-driver that can adapt to a real-world environment. It would be able to sense external road conditions and the driver’s level of alertness and, where appropriate, take control of the vehicle.

The virtual co-driver could monitor a driver's eyelid movements for signs of drowsiness, for instance, and take command of steering, acceleration and braking.

Although existing intelligent driving systems can warn drivers of an impending danger, such as being too close to the vehicle in front, and even can apply the brakes, they have limitations. These systems only are able to react if their sensors detect information that matches pre-established criteria.

The BACS project will run until 2010 and is based on Bayes’ theorem, which provides a model for making rational judgments when the only information available is uncertain and incomplete. A key example is the ability to detect pedestrians and predict what they are likely to do next, something totally beyond the scope of today’s intelligent driving systems.

"We are aiming to develop a system that can assist drivers of passenger cars and trucks by employing probabilistic control functions and driving strategies," says BACS Project Coordinator Roland Siegwart. "This should make driving safer for both drivers and pedestrians."