Considering Automotive Technology Training? Find Out How GM is Building New Car Maps!

Automotive professionals know that it’s only a matter of time before we start to see autonomous vehicles driving on the roads. And of course, it’s no secret that automakers from across the globe are doing what they can to make fully self-driving cars a reality.

One of the most complicated steps in the process is creating detailed road maps for autonomous vehicles to use. However, General Motors (GM) seems to have found an effective solution. The company plans to use the cameras that are already built into most new vehicles to create detailed maps that will enable self-driving cars to navigate the streets on their own.

If you’re planning to pursue an automotive career, read on to learn more about GM’s plans, and find out what other car companies are doing to further develop driverless technology.

GM & Mobileye: A Partnership That’s Changing the Future of Auto Technology

Mobileye is a technology company that develops and supplies semi-autonomous sensors and systems to the automotive industry. Mobileye’s technology is capable of detecting vehicles, pedestrians, and other obstacles that could potentially interfere with a car’s route. The technology has already been installed in many GM vehicles to enable features like lane departure warnings and collision alerts.

GM’s new plan is to use the cameras located at the front of today’s vehicles to collect road and highway images, as well as the location of road markings, signs, traffic lights and more. This information will then be uploaded through OnStar in order to develop the data that autonomous cars will eventually use. Professionals with automotive technology training recognize OnStar as a popular communications system found in GM cars. This system offers features like in-vehicle security, hands-free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics to drivers.

Since a lot of GM vehicles already make use of Mobileye technology and come standard with OnStar, the company should be able to collect a large amount of detailed mapping data in a short period of time. In addition, if any drivers concerned about their privacy, OnStar is also capable of maintaining a vehicle’s anonymity while collecting its data.

How Other Car Companies Are Improving Automotive Technology

GM isn’t the only automaker using on-board technology to make advancements in self-driving car technology. In fact, students enrolled in an automotive technology program know that Tesla is constantly uploading sensor data from its vehicles to the company’s home base, using “Fleet Learning Technology.” This data drastically helped improve the reliability of Tesla’s autopilot capabilities.

A few months ago, German automakers BMW, Audi, and Mercedes Benz bought an equal stake in Nokia’s mapping technology, which also uses sensors to gather important data about a vehicle’s surroundings.

While it won’t be long before self-driving cars are on the road, the automaker that will be the first to launch one is anyone’s guess—but if GM’s plan pans out, the auto giant may very well come in on top!

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