Self-driving cars may soon be able to see around corners

Whether it's a child running after a ball, a herd of cows or a broken-down car, unexpected obstacles can prove deadly to drivers. But scientists say the cars of the future might be able to anticipate such perils. A team of researchers have come up with a new laser-based system that efficiently produces images of objects that are hidden around a corner – a development they say could allow autonomous vehicles to see obstacles before they come into the line of sight. "There is this preconceived notion that you can't image objects that aren't already directly visible to the camera – and we have found ways to get around these types of limiting situations," said Dr Matthew O'Toole, a coauthor of the research from Stanford University. The approach builds on technologies such as Lidar, a tool used in archaeological mapping that involves sending laser pulses towards a surface and measuring the time it takes for light to be reflected.