Self-driving cars have become the game changer of today, and for that futuristic idea, Acura, the Japanese luxury automaker, is introducing its second-generation autonomous prototype. The company also pick Honda's flagship sedan to transform into a brand new self-driving feature, as announced on Wednesday.
According to Digital Trends, Acura, which is under Honda, use RXL Sport Hybrid SH-AWD sedan as its self-driving test car. The latest appearance of the car has changed into a much sleeker form compared to the RLX model released in 2015, which has the spinning LIDAR sensor system. Now, the new model has replaced it all with high-end updated sensor techs, which include, cameras, radar as well as GPS along with more new features, Honda said.
It also has higher performance GPUs and CPUs, enhanced cabling and newly configured heat management and circuitry. Packed with more features, RXL's software is also upgraded to what the luxury automaker company described as more intelligent software algorithms. It will back up more complex testing scenarios.
With all of the sensors, the car will be able to sense and see its surroundings vividly. The equipped radar also works to spot the speed and position of the object near it, while the car's camera has a sharp recognition on the size and shapes of the car's surroundings.
Most carmakers choose public roads to test automated driving cars; however, Acura and Honda pick a controlled environment. Equipped with all these stunning features, Acura have been testing the transformed RXL autonomous cars at the Bay Area's GoMentum Station, Mashable reported.
The area is 5,000 acres that features 20 miles of paved roads and is similar to city grid, with buildings. It is built as a test facility ground for autonomous cars. Acura and Honda set the target year on 2020 to release the self-driving cars. However, the automakers will be introducing the second-generation autonomous prototype in California this year.
