Tata Motors had launched Hexa SUV earlier this year in January and while the model is close to completing a year in the Indian market, a self-driving version of the car has already been spotted testing in UK. Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) in collaboration with UK Autodrive, have started testing the Hexa autonomous in real-world conditions. For those not in the know, UK Autodrive is primarily a conglomerate that brings the automotive firms and the British Government together for developing and testing autonomous/self-driving cars and technology in the United Kingdom.
In the first of its kind autonomous testing on the public roads in UK, cars like Tata Hexa, Ford Mondeo and Range Rover Sport are being tested. While these tests have started under UK’s Autodrive project, Tata Motors and its British subsidiary, Land Rover have also started conducting independent tests in UK. To prevent any kind of untoward incident, a trained driver accompanies every car. Check Out – Tata Hexa Downtown Edition Pictures & Details
Autonomous Tata Hexa Spy Pictures
During the trials, latest equipment will be integrated in these vehicles, that has been retrofitted in the current cars to analyse how these cars integrated with the advanced tech. Aside from the current tests that are being conducted in Coventry, separate tests will be scheduled in Milton Keynes sometime next year.
The Tata Hexa and other cars on test carry latest technology and basic upgrades for supporting autonomous driving. Coming to the Hexa, it gets an upgraded infotainment unit, a large display that is used for relaying data collected by the sensors. Read – Tata Motors Buys Stake In Faraday Future
These cars are a part of the UV Autodrive project and are being tested for new technology such as Emergency Vehicle Warning (EVW), which primarily detects signals from emergency vehicles like ambulances. Besides, Intersection Collision Warning techthat warns drivers in case a car is detected and Intersection Priority Management (IPM) that allows two or more connected vehicles to navigation or intersect without traffic lights are also getting tested.
The Collaborative Parking tech that provides real time information regarding parking spaces available in the city and In-Vehicle Signage (IVS) used for sending information deeming road conditions, accidents, congestions etc to the car’s display screen are also among the several other technologies that are currently under test. Video: Tata Nexon vs New Ford EcoSport 2017 – Detailed Comparison
The UK Autodrive is also testing Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) that has been designed to send traffic light information to connected cars which further calculates the optimal speed for approaching traffic light.
