I'm Priscilla, one of the test drivers on
the Google self-driving car project.
Our team is responsible for keeping the cars
and other people safe while on the road, and
for providing feedback on how they perform
in the real world.
A big part of our job is to go out into the
world and uncover all the potential scenarios
that a car might encounter.
Then we help the engineers teach the car how
to best navigate each one.
Here are some examples of situations that
we regularly encounter on the streets of Mountain
View, California.
We've taught the vehicle to recognize and
navigate through construction zones.
Our sensors spot the orange signs and cones
early to alert the car of the lane blockage
ahead, and we can change lanes safely.
You'll also notice the vehicle typically moves
to keep a safe distance away from large obstacles,
like this truck stopped on the side of the
road.
Now we're approaching a railroad crossing,
which requires special care.
Notice the red fence and railroad sign that
appears to the computer as we approach the
intersection.
This means that we'll wait until the tracks
are clear of other vehicles before proceeding.
Our cars treat cyclists as a special category
of moving object.
Watch in this example, when the cyclist holds
up his arm, our software detects the hand
signal and predicts his movement into our
lane.
The car knows to continue yielding to the
cyclist passing by, even when he changes his
mind
multiple times.
We still have more work to do, but it's fun
to see how many situations we can now handle
smoothly and naturally.
See you on the road!
