Apple reportedly upgrades self-driving testbed with new LiDAR equipment, more
A report on Friday claims an updated version of Apple's self-driving testbed has been seen driving on Silicon Valley roads, topped with a massive LiDAR array with integrated cameras, GPS and other equipment.
Spotted by a MacRumors reader, the vehicle is regularly seen parked outside of an Apple office in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Judging by the photos provided, the building in question appears to be part of Apple's "Project Titan" facility. AppleInsider in 2015 uncovered the location of tech giant's self-driving car initiative, where employees worked on everything from hardware engineering to software development.
The vehicle seen in today's photoset is a 2016-2017 Lexus RX450h, a newer version of the SUV Apple has been using as part of its Autonomous Vehicle Tester (AVT) Program.
In April, the company filed for, and was granted, a license to operate three 2015 Lexus RX450h SUVs for autonomous testing. Those cars were subsequently seen driving in Silicon Valley.
Sitting atop the new SUVs is a highly advanced integrated sensor array that appears to be a next-generation version of equipment deployed on the original testbed. Instead of mounting LiDAR, GPS and radar hardware in separate locations, the new rig integrates necessary equipment into a relatively compact roof-mounted package.
Though it is difficult to identify each component in the custom built housing, it appears Apple is using Velodyne's new Puck LiDAR sensor, a 16-channel unit capable of logging 300,000 points per second at a range of 100 meters. There seems to be 14 Pucks mounted around the car, four facing forward, two behind and two each at the corners.
Camera lenses can also be seen in housings attached to the specialized roof rack, as well as a GPS antenna and radio communications equipment. Separated from the central sensor array are five yellow-capped sensors that could be compact radar arrays. Apple's older testbed featured radar sensors mounted at all four corners. Finally, a distance measuring apparatus similar to a surveyor's wheel is seen mounted to the SUV's left rear wheel.
Apple's autonomous vehicle program is a continuation of efforts to build a branded self-driving car under the "Project Titan" initiative. At one point, Apple had over 1,000 employees working on various projects, but the effort hit a number of snags and was ultimately put on ice in late 2016.
Initially led by former Apple executive Steve Zadesky, Project Titan was handed over to SVP of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio and then to longtime executive Bob Mansfield. Under Mansfield, the team was whittled down and efforts refocused to self-driving software and supporting hardware.
A report earlier this week claims Apple plans to put its self-driving technology on the road as part of an experimental autonomous shuttle. Dubbed the Palo Alto to Infinite Loop, or PAIL, the service will ferry Apple employees between the company's Silicon Valley campuses.
Spotted by a MacRumors reader, the vehicle is regularly seen parked outside of an Apple office in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Judging by the photos provided, the building in question appears to be part of Apple's "Project Titan" facility. AppleInsider in 2015 uncovered the location of tech giant's self-driving car initiative, where employees worked on everything from hardware engineering to software development.
The vehicle seen in today's photoset is a 2016-2017 Lexus RX450h, a newer version of the SUV Apple has been using as part of its Autonomous Vehicle Tester (AVT) Program.
In April, the company filed for, and was granted, a license to operate three 2015 Lexus RX450h SUVs for autonomous testing. Those cars were subsequently seen driving in Silicon Valley.
Sitting atop the new SUVs is a highly advanced integrated sensor array that appears to be a next-generation version of equipment deployed on the original testbed. Instead of mounting LiDAR, GPS and radar hardware in separate locations, the new rig integrates necessary equipment into a relatively compact roof-mounted package.
Though it is difficult to identify each component in the custom built housing, it appears Apple is using Velodyne's new Puck LiDAR sensor, a 16-channel unit capable of logging 300,000 points per second at a range of 100 meters. There seems to be 14 Pucks mounted around the car, four facing forward, two behind and two each at the corners.
Camera lenses can also be seen in housings attached to the specialized roof rack, as well as a GPS antenna and radio communications equipment. Separated from the central sensor array are five yellow-capped sensors that could be compact radar arrays. Apple's older testbed featured radar sensors mounted at all four corners. Finally, a distance measuring apparatus similar to a surveyor's wheel is seen mounted to the SUV's left rear wheel.
Apple's autonomous vehicle program is a continuation of efforts to build a branded self-driving car under the "Project Titan" initiative. At one point, Apple had over 1,000 employees working on various projects, but the effort hit a number of snags and was ultimately put on ice in late 2016.
Initially led by former Apple executive Steve Zadesky, Project Titan was handed over to SVP of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio and then to longtime executive Bob Mansfield. Under Mansfield, the team was whittled down and efforts refocused to self-driving software and supporting hardware.
A report earlier this week claims Apple plans to put its self-driving technology on the road as part of an experimental autonomous shuttle. Dubbed the Palo Alto to Infinite Loop, or PAIL, the service will ferry Apple employees between the company's Silicon Valley campuses.
Comments
Relatively compact compared to what? LOL!!
Kidding of course but that's pretty massive still.
http://velodynelidar.com/blog/laser-safety-lidar-world/
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Would love to know what their endgame is, but I'm still thinking they're looking at renting driverless rides rather than selling cars.
And and as an aside:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41038220
This is is the wrong way to do it.
In the last 15 years, only the Beat Purchase is higher I believe.
A lot of so called analysts will be blind sighted as usual when it all hits.
-giant campus requiring multiple shuttles
-potential Designation as POI for Apple Park drawing tourists and curiosity (circa Monorail in the 50s at Disneyland)
-large vehicle that hides this sensor array
-conscripted employee use
-quick mileage gain and word of mouth (provides its successful)
-great marketing tool not bound to a car company
Ultimately I believe that Apple has no choice but to build a branded car - whether it is buyable or shareable is the actual internal debate. To build a car on the scale - say Didi might require would require the aqusistion of an already successful car builder - the Foxconn of automobiles - Commonwealth for example or Bosch - a car parts business... My guess is they probably wanted to aquire someone like Maclaren but realized the timeline and scale and autonomous experimentation weren't working in concert. Before the iPod was something everyone had and Apple was innovating in the dessert with pink plastic iMacs and transitioning towards Flash iPods (2005?) they partnered with a company called Honhai and in two years had cornered the worlds supply of Flash memory until Toshiba caught up and got wise to the business available...
Apple will follow this same playbook. Slow and steady wins the race. The Car adventure will run its own iOS, ARkit and the devs embrace of it will be foundational and the silicon will be designed in house.
This doesn't happen in 2020 but there were 4 iPhones before Verizon and 2 before an App Store...
its gonna take take a minute but they are by no means behind.
Waymo will make mistakes (why oh why Fiat...) because it's new and Apple will then Avoid those mistakes developing their own solutions before they become consumer facing. Just like Lyft has done to Uber... only without the stupid drama.
Tesla built a super car to build an SUV to pay for a sedan... Maclaren builds 200 custom built Super car that would require retooling but wouldn't be bound to the brand. And they're the hottest cars in the world.
Lastly as the owner of a semi autonomous SUV I must tell you, the future of these cars simply isn't compatible with the old Dealership model - people will need long term acceptance before they sell them off a lot to say nothing of the wide variance between The car companies say the difference between Acurawatch or idrive or the Ford parking system light years ahead of even Toyota who's had a parking system since the early 2000's
there are wildly different semis out there already some conservative some are very ambitious it's just an unknown at this point. Autopilot just isn't the whole story. But Super Cruise might be...
it will take a serious conversation with both the American public and the media that reports on every single dramatic death that happens because of the cars will crash and that's the point the cars are going to crash and kill people but they will save lives long-term because you know 100 people die every day in a Ford or Chevy and two people die in a Tesla and it makes the news for two weeks
So that would have to stop and that's not gonna happen in 2020
Americans are stupid, the demographic wealthy enough to afford vehicles over 50k is ancient and filled with fear, and a bunch of grandpas are gonna die in Model 3s and let's let Teslas Brand take the hit instead of Apple.
the tortoise and the hare.
I can see 'driver assist' setups like Tesla working out. I.e. Keeping a car between the lines on a freeway on a clear day / accident avoidance etc. But obviously the technology has a long way to go before becoming mainstream.
No wonder Apple doesn't publicize their efforts...
It sounds like all the auto companies are working on adding Tesla like features to their future autos. Who would buy Apple's version?
I can see Googles motivation but I don't get Apple's, unless they want to completely rework their business model...
Some folks here just like to make believe they're not the ones that are fixated on them, bringing them up when there's no need to. Validation I suppose
A ) There's a joke in there that I'm missing or
B ) You've had a particularly bad day/week and simply venting at an online target rather than taking it out on anyone you know.
Clearly they are doing research for autonomous driving. Hope it doesn't roll out like flyover or public transit in Apple maps.
LIDAR plus RADAR and possibly SONAR technologies working together.
The key is very low power laser emitters with highly sensitive 'receiving' sensors, combined with a moving vehicle.
Another Xenophobic troll, be it self-loaethig or otherwise.