Self-driving cars exist and the way they operate advances every day, which is hard to keep up with, especially when you’re not a tech guru. These self-driving cars, otherwise known as autonomous vehicles, have varying degrees of human intervention while driving. Most still have a person physically behind the wheel, but the car is able to steer, accelerate, and brake by itself. More advanced autonomous vehicles can even interpret their surroundings and navigate without the driver.
The technology behind autonomous vehicles can be confusing because the terminology can be dense and hyper-specific. When you are in the process of filing an autonomous car accident claim, you’ll want to fully understand those terms so that your case is as successful as possible. Your lawyer from Thomas Law Offices in Louisville can help you through your claim with their knowledge of these terms and driverless car legislation in Kentucky.
Let’s look at some key terms in autonomous vehicle tech and define them so that you can have a clearer understanding of what these terms mean.
General Terms to Know
We’ve already defined what an autonomous vehicle is, so here are some other general terms that you should know in the high-tech world of self-driving vehicles.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is technology that works by interpreting its surroundings, learning from them, and adapting to them. Autonomous vehicles are AI because they are constantly scanning their environments and adapting to them to figure out how to navigate on the roads without human intervention.
Automated Driving System (ADS)
Autonomous vehicles contain an Automated Driving System (ADS) that acts as the brain of the vehicle. The ADS is what senses the surroundings, makes decisions based on the information it’s receiving, and operates the vehicle. An ADS sometimes involves human drivers to intervene and help make decisions, but can also work alone, depending on the vehicle and system.
Automated Highway System (AHS)
This highway or road system is intended to lessen traffic congestion by sending self-driving vehicles on routes specifically made for them. Automated Highway Systems (AHS) are also known as smart roads, and they have technology implanted into them to decrease the chance of accidents, which helps ease congestion on the road.
Logistical Terms
Now that we’ve covered some of the more general terms in tech relating to autonomous vehicles, let’s look into some more specific terms that have to do with the function of the vehicles that might be even harder to understand upon first reading.
Internet of Things (IoT)
While autonomous vehicles have sensors that help them locate objects, some objects that they’re locating have sensors in them as well. These objects create a network, or the Internet of things (IoT), where the objects and the vehicles communicate with each other to give their locations and allow the vehicles to navigate more easily.
Connected Vehicle (CV)
A Connected Vehicle (CV) is part of the IoT, and communicates with the objects, other vehicles, and everything surrounding them in order to function.
Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I)
One of the ways that a CV communicates is through Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communication. Some aspects of infrastructure that a CV communicates with are radio frequencies, cameras, traffic signals, lane markers, and street signs.
Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V)
Another way that a CV communicates on the road is Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V). While autonomous vehicles are on the road, they can communicate with each other and share the data that each of them is absorbing while driving.
Vehicle to X (V2X)
The final way that a CV communicates is Vehicle to Everything (V2X). This method includes the vehicle’s communication with the infrastructure and other vehicles and extends beyond those to more electronic and internet-based information centers like traffic centers, applications, and message boards.
Priority Traffic Signal Control
Included in V2I communication, there is an aspect called Priority Traffic Signal Control that allows outside entities to alert the vehicles of emergency situations and emergency vehicles that take priority on the road. Emergency Vehicle Pre-emption (EVP), Transit Signal Priority (TSP), and Freight Signal Priority (FSP) alert the CV that an emergency vehicle, public transit vehicle, or large truck will disrupt the way of traffic in some way, but that they are allowed to go before the regular vehicle. This can be because of an emergency situation, impending accident, or to clear traffic in a more optimal way.
Contact Thomas Law Offices in Louisville, KY
When you are filing a claim against an autonomous vehicle that caused your accident, or if you’re just interested in learning more about new tech on the roads, it’s helpful for you to better understand this high-tech terminology. We will be able to help you with these terms and others that you might stumble upon along the way and can help keep you informed so you can feel confident in your claim. Reach out to us today so we can get started on your claim as soon as possible.
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