If there’s one major topic in 2017 that has thrusted the automotive world into mainstream everyday headlines, it has been autonomous vehicles. The idea that people can finally let go of the wheel to stare at their phones (like they do every other waking hour), while the car does all of the driving itself, is a seductive one. It could completely change the business model of an automaker. Major cities are excited. It has Silicon Valley in a frenzy. Big Data is salivating. Buzz words like “safety,” “sharing economy,” “mobility,” and “disruptor,” are seeing maximum usage.
So with driving enthusiasts surrounded by a maelstrom of autonomous vehicle hype, we asked Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter how vehicles like the Corvette fit into GM’s AV strategy.
“At the opposite end,” Juechter quickly replied, during the 2017 LA Auto Show. “GM is doing both. We’re obviously big into autonomous. It’s going to be the mass transit of the future in urban centers all around the world. But, we’re lucky enough to be part of a company with a portfolio of vehicles for every different purpose. We’ve got the Bolt EV in Chevy’s lineup, and we’ve got the Corvette ZR1.”
The Chevrolet Bolt EV has been the guinea pig for all of GM’s autonomous ventures that have so far been announced, and autonomous vehicle pursuits has been trendy for both the technology and automotive industries for all of 2017. While driverless cars are a trending topic, there is no shortage of doubts to the legitimacy and viability of autonomous vehicles. Yet the General Motors brass currently appears hellbent at making it work, and being a leader in the space.
That said, GM does continue to see a business case for humans driving vehicles at their own discretion, to wherever they want, whenever they want. Especially for the foreseeable future.
“The whole purpose of the Corvette is to enjoy driving it,” said Juechter. “So, (Corvette) will probably be the last to adopt the autonomous technologies. In fact, we don’t even have adaptive cruise on the car… we try to lean down the content to just what’s necessary for driving, and we expect the person driving it to want to drive it. So between that, and adding all of the additional content (for adaptive cruise)… it requires the sensors to be in front end, which can block airflow. We don’t have a lot of spare airflow, so all of these choices come down to a balance of attributes across the whole car.”
While the architecture of the 2019 Corvette ZR1 may not allow for an adaptive cruise system, let alone something farther down the spectrum of human driving omission, the Corvette program could still have a future role to play in utilizing some autonomous hardware.
“There could someday be use for some of these autonomous features. One of my favorite is a ‘track learn’… a setting where you could dial an assistance, like a driving instructor in the passenger seat,” Juechter continued. “If you’re driving off the line, they’ll reach over to the wheel and tug you back… I can imagine using some of these features as a track learn. Everything from giving you a nudge when you’re not in the right place, to a hands-off, show-me-the-line as fast as the car will go. And you just ride and watch… and slowly take off the training wheels… I can imagine an adaptation of that kind of technology.”
To summarize, Jeuchter appears to theorize that autonomous hardware/software that is smart enough to quickly navigate around a race track could make for even better human skills, via a type of adjustable human-machine high performance driving education system. Where eventually, the human driver wouldn’t need the adjustments of the machine to enjoy their Corvette at its maximum limit.
“But we’re not going to be first to market in that.”
Stay tuned to GMAuthority for the latest in Corvette news, Chevrolet performance updates, and even the latest from GM’s autonomous vehicle adventures.
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Comments
Autonomous Corvette is like saying military intelligence.
Many sports cars have gotten like F1 to where the technology has really removed the driver as part of the equation. That is sad.
To be honest I hope more go back to the basics as while these are great cars some of the must fun cars are some of the basic old roadster like a Austin Healy or Lotus. These are cars you can really enjoy on your daily drive and not have to wait for track day to explore the perfect line.
I heard today there is a push to tax meat? If they take our Corvette what is there to look for in the future.
Every vehicle that General Motors builds from the Chevrolet Spark to the C7 Corvette ZR1 should be outfitted with an ‘autonomous driving’ system as this is no different than airbags or anti-lock brakes especially as the system can be in a passive mode or ‘Overwatch’ and take over driving if the driver is impaired or ‘Full Auto’ where the autonomous from the start serves as a valet and drives the occupants to a designated location.
I 100% agree…As long as you can still drive it manually, why not make autonomous mode an option for those who want it? Very few find joy of driving during gridlock traffic or 200+ road trip, that where an autonomous vehicle really comes in handy…Then just think, if you have an autonomous vehicle with a backseat, you can get frisky with your significant other anytime…
I do not look forward autonomous cars. They may be “safer” in theory, but when they are innevitabley hacked, they will become weapons used against us. Imagine 20 or more of these vehicles remotely programmed to drive full speed into buildings and crowds. What about some group of programmers deciding whether the occupents or a pedestrian survives in a no win situation? At what point do we say enough is enough?
” They may be “safer” in theory, but when they are innevitabley hacked, they will become weapons used against us. Imagine 20 or more of these vehicles remotely programmed to drive full speed into buildings and crowds. ”
People (or rather terrorists) are already using conventional cars as weapons nowadays, so a hacked autonomous car would be just as dangerous.
But the answer is the same today as it will be with the autonomous car: invest in bollards.
This is complete BS. If I want to be driven around, I want a big ass couch and all the amenities to go with it. You buy a Corvette to DRIVE that MF’er, NOT be driven. This whole perspective is BS, and the MOST STUPID proposition posted here, ever,by ANYONE, period.