PSA prototype car travels 580km in autonomous mode

PSA prototype car travels 580km in autonomous mode

One of PSA Peugeot Citroen's four autonomous vehicles trekked from Paris to Bordeaux to partake in the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress, which runs from 5 to 9 October.

The 580km journey was undertaken entirely in autonomous mode on Friday 2 October. In July 2015, the Group became the first carmaker to obtain the relevant authorisations to carry out open road tests using four autonomous prototypes, which will increase to fifteen next year.

PSA aim to cut accidents linked to human error and reduce driver fatigue in monotonous driving situations, such as motorway journeys, by allowing driver's to let the car handle basic driving tasks autonomously.

The prototype adjusts its speed and changes lane by itself, whilst registering the presence of other vehicles, speed limits and infrastructure. The French firm hope to apply their technology to production models, with the gradual introduction of driverless features.

The car in question will be presented along with PSA's car-to-car, and car-to-infrastructure communication systems at the 22nd ITS World Congress. The systems use data transmitted by other vehicles and infrastructure to enhance awareness of the vehicle's surrounding environment. This is hoped to increase safety on the public roads, as the systems are intended to anticipate certain perilous situations, reducing the number of accidents.

Carlos Tavares, chairman of the managing board at PSA, said: "The journey made by our prototype today proves that autonomous vehicles are no longer a matter of science fiction. This ushers in a new era for mobility, which I find truly exciting."

by: Vertu Editorial