Y Combinator startup Cruise Automation has developed a new technology for self-driving cars to make driving easier for commuters who spend long hours behind the wheel.
Consumers can pre-order the system starting Monday and have it installed in their cars in early 2015, according to Re/code.
"A third of the American workforce spends more than an hour a day commuting. It's boring and dangerous. Now that we have the technology, it's almost our responsibility to do something with it," said Kyle Vogt, CEO of Cruise.
The computer-controlled driving system is designed to be a middleground between Google's fully automated self-driving car and cars with cruise control, The Verge reported. The system can actually steer the car to keep it within freeway lanes, and uses sensors and radar mounted on top of the car to slow it down when spotting obstacles. However, the system will not take over the wheel if the driver is looking to take a nap.
"This is a little different than what you've seen from Google, for example, because that's like a $100,000 research car, with tons of fancy sensors," Vogt said during a test drive for Cruise. "Everything on this car is priced for a consumer product. It's, like, very low-cost everything, and the performance is still very good."
A $10,000 kit called the RP-1 is included in the Cruise vehicles and can be installed on only two specific models of Audi cars- a 2012 or new A4 or S4. The Verge reported. In addition, it can only be used in California.
The kit includes custom-designed sensors mounted to the top of the car, actuators for the brakes, accelerator and steering wheel, and a computer system installed in the trunk. The computer system processes data from the sensors and transfers it back to the wheel. A button is also included in the center console. With all of these features, the kit allows for control over the car to be quickly switched between human and computer.
Drivers of Cruise cars won't have to steer unless they are in a state where one hand must be on the wheel. While they must pay attention to the road in order to obey the law, the system allows them to ease some of their mental focus by giving some control to the car, Re/code reported.
"Most people, when they're driving or commuting in stop-and-go traffic, they're sitting behind the wheel fuming at the car in front of them, wishing it would go faster," Vogt said. "But when you have this system, you're somehow a little more disconnected, and you don't quite feel that pain and stress, so hopefully that won't come home with you and overflow into the rest of your life."
Cruise, founded by Vogt seven months ago, is looking to use the system in other cars and outside California in the future.
"We plan to do much more," Vogt stated. "The world is better off with this thing than without it."
