Foreword:
With the advancement of technology, autonomous driving technology is gradually becoming a reality. In this field, Baidu’s Apollo autonomous driving platform has demonstrated strong technical strength. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of Apollo’s core technology chain from sensor fusion to decision-making technology.
1. Sensors: Apollo’s Eyes and Ears
Apollo's autonomous driving platform uses a series of advanced sensors, including lidar, cameras and millimeter wave radar. These sensors provide the vehicle with rich environmental data, allowing it to accurately perceive its surroundings.
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Lidar : Lidar can build a three-dimensional map of an environment by firing a laser beam and measuring the reflected light. This is crucial for vehicle positioning and obstacle detection in complex environments.
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Camera : The image data captured by the camera can be used for the recognition of traffic signs and traffic signals, as well as the detection of pedestrians and vehicles.
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Millimeter-wave radar : Millimeter-wave radar provides stable distance measurements and speed estimates in adverse weather conditions, such as fog, rain, or snow.
2. High-precision maps: the cornerstone of navigation
High-precision maps are an important part of the Apollo platform. It not only provides basic information about the road, but also includes traffic signs, traffic signals, road geometry and other important navigation elements. Combined with real-time sensor data, Apollo can achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy.
3. Perception technology: understanding the surrounding environment
The Apollo platform's perception technology combines traditional image processing algorithms with advanced deep learning models. This enables the vehicle to accurately identify traffic signs, vehicles, pedestrians and other obstacles on the road. Moreover, by analyzing sensor data in real time, Apollo is able to predict the intentions and actions of other traffic participants to make correct decisions.
4. Decision-making technology: the intelligent brain
Based on the data provided by perception technology, the Apollo platform uses a series of decision-making algorithms, including rule-based decision-making and machine learning-based decision-making. This enables the vehicle to make safe and reasonable driving decisions in complex road environments.
To sum up, the Apollo autonomous driving platform achieves highly automated driving of vehicles through a complete technology chain from sensors to decision-making. All of this is based on Baidu's years of technological accumulation and innovation capabilities.