MIT researchers create new self-driving system that can steer in low visibility settings

Researchers from MIT have developed new self-driving car system capable of navigating in low visibility settings, including in fog and snow. The system relies on Localizing Ground Penetrating Radar (LGPR), which takes readings the shape and composition of the road directly below and around the car with electromagnetic pulses. Other self-driving car systems use a combination of Lidar, radar, and cameras to develop a real-time topographical model of where the car is in space. These systems are generally reliable but have been vulnerable to visual tricks like fake road signs and lane makers, and can become significantly less reliable during bad weather conditions. The LGPR system aims to improve on these vulnerabilities by focusing on the road itself and not the open space in front of the car.