Cruise’s current test vehicles have human driver controls and a human autonomous vehicle trainer in the driver’s seat along with an additional support trainer in the front passenger seat. Photo credit: Reiters
Cruise Automation, General Motors’ self-driving car unit, on Friday released details on how the company prepares its autonomous vehicle trainers for testing in the company’s 2018 Self-Driving Safety Report.
Prior to conducting in-vehicle testing — which requires trainers to monitor the operation and performance of self-driving test vehicles through procedures and roles surrounding safety — drivers undergo a month-long training session, the company said. Trainers must also complete pre- and post-drive checklists, in-vehicle audits, exams and incident-response drills.
Trainers practice driving on private sites, learn procedures for handling potential accidents and undergo reinforcement and ongoing training.
Each of the automaker’s current test vehicles has human driver controls and a human autonomous vehicle trainer in the driver’s seat along with an additional support trainer in the front passenger seat. GM plans to operate its self-driving vehicles with trainers present until the vehicles are capable of fully driverless operation.
Trainers are responsible for initiating self-driving operation in the vehicle by setting destinations and waypoints, monitoring the vehicle and taking control as necessary, and communicating observations on vehicle performance. Trainers monitor several instances, such as if the self-driving vehicle detects potential safety roadblocks or hazards. Trainers in the driver’s seat keep their hands on the wheel, while the passenger’s seat trainer records much of the data.
GM said it designs all other tasks with the notion that they will not interfere with the trainer’s ability to take over the vehicle as necessary.
New developments
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Autonomous vehicle testing has not come without risks. Crashes involving vehicles operating entirely or in part by automated systems, Tesla Inc. and Uber Technologies among them, have posed concerns as the technology quickly develops.
To prevent human error such as exhaustion and boredom in autonomous vehicles while testing, Cruise:
- Mandates trainer breaks
- Restricts the number of hours trainers are on the road with self-driving vehicles
- Selects routes to allow trainers to complete test drives within their shifts
A GM spokesperson told Automotive News there were no further details to share regarding the specific number of hours trainers are on the road.
Autonomous vehicles
The update to the 33-page safety report, which was published earlier this year, comes as part of the automaker’s increasing efforts in the race toward a fully functioning autonomous vehicle.
GM first purchased San Francisco-based Cruise in March 2016 for $1 billion to channel further efforts toward development, and has since been testing its self-driving Chevy Bolt vehicles. GM also announced plans to add more than 1,100 new jobs in a new research facility for Cruise in San Francisco in April 2017.
GM also has plans to launch a fully autonomous vehicle in 2019 — plans that were backed by technology investment firm SoftBank Vision Fund’s $2.25 billion recent investment in Cruise. SoftBank Vision also has substantial investments in other mobility providers, such as chipmaker Nvidia Corp. and Uber. GM will also invest $1.1. billion in GM Cruise as part of the deal. GM separately owns an investment stake in ride-hailing company Lyft.
While the SoftBank deal has been said to be a potential foundation for GM to spin off the autonomous vehicle operations, the company has not confirmed this possibility. GM currently tests its self-driving vehicles in Michigan, Arizona and San Francisco.
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