people to get from place to place. As Horace Dediu, a tech
industry analyst said, "The car created the suburbs. It
created the mall. That allowed us to live differently."
Perhaps driverless cars would create another new way of
living. One where people could use their time on the road
to hang out with friends, read, watch TV, or even sleep.
But are driverless cars really safer than cars with human
drivers? Most AVS navigate the road using Light Detection
and Ranging Sensors (LIDAR). This innovative, but
unproven, technology uses light pulses to sense what's
going on around the vehicle. As advanced as this safety
equipment is, it can be thrown off by simple things. For
instance, rain and snow can interfere with LIDAR's ability
to operate. The sensors can also get confused by nearby
objects. For example, LIDAR might read a parked car as
moving or might not be able to identify a person walking
alongside a bicycle. Austin Russell, a manufacturer of
LIDAR, says "We're not even remotely close to being able
to be truly autonomous in diverse conditions."
What do the underlined words and
phrases suggest about LIDAR
technology?
LIDAR technology is useful in severe
weather conditions.
LIDAR technology is currently too
dangerous to be used widely.
LIDAR technology uses light pulses to
sense objects around the vehicle.
LIDAR technology will become popular
because it is safe and innovative.