How should we make the transition from driving to driverless vehicles in the future?

[LAX54]

Fully automated cars could be used for valet parking, particularly for charging electric cars when there is a limited number of charging points. The car park can be set up with beacons so that the cars can get their exact position without having to rely on GPS or cameras. The cars can be parked closer than would be possible with a driver, so the price could be cheaper than a normal parking space. This would be particularly good for car clubs.

But you would need someone to plug the charger in, and leave enough space for access to the socket on the car, as for parking 'space' UK parking spaces are at the minimum they can get away with already !

 

[AM9]

But you would need someone to plug the charger in, and leave enough space for access to the socket on the car, as for parking 'space' UK parking spaces are at the minimum they can get away with already !

I would imaging that fully autonomous vehicle would be equipped for induction charging despite the lower efficiency of that method. Thus they would be able to self park over the embedded coils and initiate the charging process. If there was demand for charging, once charged, they could then move themselves to a separate static parking area.

 

[LAX54]

I would imaging that fully autonomous vehicle would be equipped for induction charging despite the lower efficiency of that method. Thus they would be able to self park over the embedded coils and initiate the charging process. If there was demand for charging, once charged, they could then move themselves to a separate static parking area.

"In the year 2525..........."

 

[AM9]

"In the year 2525..........."

I think that also applies to autonomous perambulations of road vehicles outside on any public space. They can do what they like on private land as long as the public is physically protected from them.

 

[bspahh]

But you would need someone to plug the charger in, and leave enough space for access to the socket on the car, as for parking 'space' UK parking spaces are at the minimum they can get away with already !

Current models of electric car might be designed for a human to plug them in. Its not difficult to design a socket which is sealed in normal use, but which can connect to a charger automatically.

Normal car parks have space to open the doors, and to drive in and out of the car park. You don't need that space if its going to be controlled automatically. If you have a standard model of vehicle, you can have them in a queue so new cars join at the back and gradually move along. If there are different models, then its a lot less hassle to shuffle them around if you have automated cars, rather than having a driver in each one that moves.

 

[tomuk]

The Cube in Birmingham has an automated garage a modern day version of the failed 1964 version in the old Bull Ring.

 

[Annetts key]

High speed induction charging for high power applications is currently not practical and may never become practical. For the vehicle, you would need a very large coil of copper wire mounted on the bottom of it. That takes up a lot of space and adds to the weight.

Air is not a very effective or efficient medium for magnetic flux to pass through. And the performance declines significantly as the distance between the two coils increases. That could be overcome by one of the coils moving into contact (or almost) with the other. But that introduces more mechanical equipment, increasing the cost yet again.

An automatic electromechanical coupler would be the more practical way. As long as the vehicle has a good enough guidance system to line up with great precision.

 

[Bletchleyite]

High speed induction charging for high power applications is currently not practical and may never become practical. For the vehicle, you would need a very large coil of copper wire mounted on the bottom of it. That takes up a lot of space and adds to the weight.

I assume you've not noticed the electric bus schemes using exactly this? Though some use pantograph style arrangements which are (as you say) more efficient.

 

[AM9]

High speed induction charging for high power applications is currently not practical and may never become practical. For the vehicle, you would need a very large coil of copper wire mounted on the bottom of it. That takes up a lot of space and adds to the weight.

Air is not a very effective or efficient medium for magnetic flux to pass through. And the performance declines significantly as the distance between the two coils increases. That could be overcome by one of the coils moving into contact (or almost) with the other. But that introduces more mechanical equipment, increasing the cost yet again.

An automatic electromechanical coupler would be the more practical way. As long as the vehicle has a good enough guidance system to line up with great precision.

My suggestion was in response to a posting from LAX54 that an attendant would need to be present to plug the car in (presumably envisaging no modifications to the cars).
Either way, the primary investment would be in the charger location so if an autonomous car drove into a charging bay with a practical accuracy of say 50mm, the charger coil or connector would be able to make an incremental move to the car to complete the connection.