By Tim Ferguson, 6 December 2007 13:01
Microsoft hosted its fourth Innovation Day in Brussels this week with partner organisations showing off the tech wares they predict could take off in the near future.
This photo shows a system developed by the Microsoft Research team in Cambridge, where the car learns how to drive around a track within a computer game. With further work it's hoped it can be tested on real vehicles.
The three green laser lines measure time to impact to various objects, while the lines on the road show the route the car has taken previously which it uses to perfect its line.
Photo credit: Tim Ferguson
Comments
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1. Roger Huffadine
Humm.. bit more like 'Modern History Tech'
There really isn't anything in these pictures that hasn't been around for at least 5 years [longer in Labs].
2. Graham Coles
Time for the human race to call it a day, I think.
Everyone seems to be so hell bent on replacing human intelligence with machines that there's really no point in continuing.
In previous centuries, people had things called memories, they could learn how to spell, add up in their head, learn skills with tools, learn skills like driving, communication, writing etc.
Now it seems that peoples brains have deteriorated to the point where nobody can spell without the aid of a checker in everything, can't remember what food they need, can add up, can't even write down a shopping list.
If technology keeps intruding, you won't need to remember routes, won't need to learn skills like driving or co-ordination, you will just sit in a car push a button and be taken to your destination.
Technology was supposed to supplement human intelligence, not replace it. I suspect at this rate humans of the future will be too stupid to do anything for themselves. So much for 'innovation'
3. anonymous
I thought Top Gear had already demonstrated a car that drove around their track, with no mention of Microsoft
4. Marc Wilson
"You appear to have moved the steering wheel- (C)ontinue, (A)bort, (R)etry?"
No, I don't think so.
5. anonymous
The car top gear tested could rember a previous drives action. The technology m$ was showing off was software that learned how to drive not just rembering how someone else drove.