Human beings are known for a myriad of different things, but most importantly, we are known for getting better on a consistent basis. This tendency to improve, no matter the situation, has brought the world some huge milestones, with technology emerging as quite a major member of the group. The reason why we hold technology in such a high regard is, by and large, predicated upon its skill-set, which ushered us towards a reality that nobody could have ever imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, if we look beyond the surface for a second, it will become clear how the whole runner was also very much inspired from the way we applied those skills across a real world environment. The latter component, in fact, did a lot to give the creation a spectrum-wide presence, and as a result, initiate a full-blown tech revolution. Of course, this revolution eventually went on to scale up the human experience through some outright unique avenues, but even after achieving a feat so notable, technology will somehow continue to bring forth the right goods. The same has turned more and more evident in recent times, and assuming one new discovery ends up with the desired impact, it will only put that trend on a higher pedestal moving forward.

The researching team at Ohio State University has successfully developed new software, which can play a facilitator role in the development, evaluation and demonstration of safer autonomous or driverless, vehicles. According to certain reports, the stated software, carrying the name Vehicle-in-Virtual-Environment (VVE), will make it possible to test out autonomous cars in a completely simulated setting, thus giving us a chance gauge any shortcomings without any actual consequences. To further understand the significance of such a development, we must acknowledge how most current approaches in the context of performing a similar operation have, so far, failed to consider various real-world factors, something which makes the whole process largely inefficient and more prone to mishaps. Fortunately enough, the new study takes on the problem by replacing the output of high-resolution sensors in a real vehicle with simulated data to connect its controls to a highly realistic 3D environment. This data would ensure the new virtual environment gets as closer to reality as possible, and therefore, help us avoid potentially undesirable result of an accuracy gap. Another feature which makes the stated development even more valuable is its ability to stay flexible throughout the process and adapt to a host of different factors. Such adaptability should indicate that the technology can seamlessly simulate everything from extreme traffic scenarios like someone jumping in front of a vehicle to mundane ones like pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk.

“Our future depends on being able to trust any and all road vehicles with our safety, so all of our research concepts pertain to working towards that goal,” said Aksun-Guvenc, co-director of Ohio State’s Automated Driving Lab, a research group formed in 2014 to advance autonomous vehicle technologies.

Next in line of standout features is the software’s communication framework which is in place chiefly to establish vehicle-to-pedestrian connectivity. Owing to this very framework, users will be able to leverage Bluetooth technology and communicate with a pedestrian using either their mobile or a dedicated phone present inside the car.

The long-term plan for the technology is making it mainstay in and around traffic guidelines made by groups such as The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“We could see this technology becoming a staple in the industry in the next five or 10 years,” said Guvenc. “That’s why we’re focusing on building more applications for it.”