Snow Can Baffle AI Self-Driving Cars, Flurry of Solutions

Dr. Lance B. Eliot, AI Insider

Driving in snowy conditions is problematic for AI driverless cars, as it is for humans

Raised in California, I lived in Germany for a year in my 20’s and “fondly” recall one of the most terrifying driving experiences in my life, which involved being on the autobahn in the middle of a snow storm.

When I left my apartment in my rented car to head out to work one day, the snow was heavy on the ground but relatively well-plowed and the roads were open. I knew to be generally cautious in driving in the snow, but didn’t anticipate any special situations or predicaments that I’d need to be worried about. The skies looked ugly with the potential for some lite snow showers. This was pretty much a typical winter looking day in Frankfurt. It was certainly a drivable day and the locals all acted like the weather was not a concern at all.

After getting onto the autobahn, snow started to come down from the skies. At first, it was those cute little flakes of fluffy snow that are fun to see and that melt right away. Then, the snow started to come down like it was angry and wanted to blanket the earth in a dense and thick layer of snow. I figured that maybe if I drove fast enough, I could make it to my exit and get to work before things became really dicey. The windshield wipers on the car could not keep up with the snow and gradually I couldn’t see out the…