Subscribe to Vocativ
The first driver’s license for an autonomous car was recently issued by the state of Nevada. The recipient: Sam Schmidt, a race car driver who was paralyzed from the neck down in an IndyCar crash some 15 years ago. Schmidt, a quadriplegic, is now able to drive on public roads thanks to his modified Corvette C7 Stingray from Arrow Electronics. The car was developed for him by a team of engineers and medical researchers who essentially turned his head into a joystick. Reflective infrared sensors track Sam’s head movements – and an algorithm converts those movements into control signals. A GPS system also tracks the car and takes over if Sam drives too far off course. Arrow says the car “is designed to restore independence, control and a sense of accomplishment to a qualified disabled driver.”
No comments:
Write comments