Road Vehicle Automation

Abstract

Research in the field of automated driving has a long history in the United States. From the very early efforts in the 1930s and 1940s when automated highway systems were proposed and which were researched intensively from the 1950s to 1990s, the field gained new momentum and direction in the early 2000s when the military called for the DARPA Grand Challenge, which showcased what was possible in the field of infrastructure independent automated vehicles. These initiatives were the starting point for the recent push towards automated vehicles in the interest of road traffic safety and efficiency. This article reviews the history of automated driving research in the U.S. and discusses where the field is headed with players from industry and academia, as it also points out the role of the government in setting rules and driving innovation.