MIT Working On Technology To Navigate Unmapped Roads

Most self-driving cars rely on detailed digital maps to orient themselves, but maps with the necessary level of detail do not necessarily exist for every road. So MIT is working on a way for autonomous cars to go off the beaten path.

This could be a major development for autonomous driving. Most companies currently testing self-driving cars typically do so in major cities, where streets are well mapped, and have both clear lane markings and plenty of signs to aid navigation. MIT noted that this isn't always the case in rural areas, where even pavement can't be taken for granted.

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TomM - 5/8/2018 3:09:10 PM

+2 Boost

I lived in my home for more than 20 years before we got to the house (Actually a mailbox at the street) Mail Delivery. Before that Time - there was a SHelf set of Mailboxes at the top of the street and you had to go THERE to get you mail - NO packaged - those you were notified about and had to pick them up at the Post office. THe Mailboxes there were issued as the houses were built - and when they decided to put the mailboxes in front of the houses - of course the NUMBERS did not run in order down the street. THe road was not paved - and later they tar and graveled it for years

Then 10 years later (Gee that was fast) - they decided to renumber the street - do they did so ONE number per house (I have over a mile of frontage for ONE number)- and that meant that when a new house was built in between - they had to add LETTERS to the Numbers.

Still another 8 years later - they again renumbered the street - allowing a number every 25 feet - that was okay I guess - but they put the Odd numbers on the North side of the street - the opposite of every other street.

So - now - more years later - they are again renumbering the street (My insurance companies claim I moved every time they do this - which is a pain) - again to meet federal guidelines (Which were available 60 years ago).

And this is just ONE problem with ONE rural road in the middle of Nowhere . And they say that Autonomous Software will be reliable - !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!