LOGIN
REGISTER
NEWSLETTER
RSS
News |
Google’s solution for DUIs? |
|
|
Google has developed technology that lets cars drive themselves. Following founders’ Larry and Sergey’s vision of using tech to solve “really big problems,” Google has applied its mind and technology to car safety and efficiency.  “Our goal is to help prevent traffic accidents, free up people’s time and reduce carbon emissions by fundamentally changing car use,” wrote Sebastian Thrun, Distinguished Software Engineer on the Official Google Blog. Google’s automated cars are manned by trained operators, who have covered 140,000 miles of US asphalt. The cars use video cameras, radar sensors and a laser range finder to “see” other traffic, as well as detailed maps that have been collected using manually driven vehicles, to navigate the road ahead. “This is all made possible by Google’s data centers, which can process the enormous amounts of information gathered by our cars when mapping their terrain,” explained Thrun in the blog post. Even as the car drove themselves, Google did ensure that they did have a driver behind the wheel in the interest of safety, who could have taken over “as easily as one disengages cruise control”. A trained software operator in the passenger seat monitored the software. Google also briefed local police on its work. The World Health Organization, Google said, estimates over 1.2 million lives lost annually in road traffic accidents. “We believe our technology has the potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half. We’re also confident that self-driving cars will transform car sharing, significantly reducing car usage, as well as help create the new “highway trains of tomorrow,"Google’s blog read. Potential benefits of the technology, according to Google, include reduced energy consumption, and an increased number of people that can be transported on major roads. “In terms of time efficiency, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that people spend on average 52 minutes each working day commuting. Imagine being able to spend that time more productively,” the blogpost said. “One for the road”, may soon be redefined. |
LISTS AND RESEARCH
-
Global Software Top 100 - Edition 2011
- The Global Software Top 100 is a list of the world's largest software companies, ranked by annual software revenues. The list is based upon revenue information of 10,000+ IT companies worldwide.
-
Software industry trends (2011)
- This research article (accompanying the Global Software Top 100) describes changes in the software industry playing field. It analyses trends and key players and forecasts future developments.
- Top hardware companies
- A list of the world's largest hardware companies.
- What happens in the hardware industry?
- Trends and analysis of the hardware industry and its key players.
- Top IT services companies
- A list of the world's largest IT services companies, ranked by annual services revenues. This link will take you to www.servicestop100.org.
- IT services companies: healthy growth
- What is happening in the IT services industry? Read this research publication to find out about trends and key players in the IT services industry.
- Top gaming companies (2010)
- Entertainment is good business, and gaming software companies are growing faster than the rest of the software industry. This research article discusses trends and key players in the gaming business.
- Top ERP companies
- A research publication about the world's leading players in enterprise software.
- Top security software companies
- A research publication discussing the world's leading publishers of security software: antivirus-, spamfiltering-, intrusion detection- and firewall software.
- The fastest growing software companies
- This research publication reveals the fastest growing software companies in the world.
-
CRM companies: a short list
- A short list of the leading software companies selling Customer Relationship Management software; aimed at IT managers looking to purchase CRM software.
- Top software companies in the US (2010)
- A list of the largest software companies in the United States, ranked by annual software revenues. 2010 Edition, posted 15 December 2010.
- U.S. software industry trends (2010)
- A research publication discussing the trends and the key players in the software industry in the United States. Posted 15 December 2010.
- Top companies in the world (not just software)
- A general list of the largest companies in the world, ranked by revenues. Not just software companies; in fact, there are no software companies in it...
- Top IT companies
- A list of the largest IT companies in the world, ranked by annual revenues. Includes hardware, software and services.
