Tesla is one of the most well-known cars in the electric vehicle market, but other brands have started introducing products that rival the autonomous driving features of the American manufacturer.
Polestar and autonomous driving developer Mobileye have announced a partnership that adds the developer's Chauffeur platform to Polestar's coupe SUV model: the Polestar 4. This programming will be an upgrade on the SuperVision program and include features like the EyeQ6 system-on-chip and next-generation radar and lidar sensors — which will improve the ability of the vehicle to navigate by itself.
Mobileye president and CEO Amnon Shashua is reported by Electrek as having said: "Mobileye Chauffeur will offer consumers a safer, accessible way to enjoy autonomous vehicles as the next revolution in personal transportation. It's the pinnacle of two decades of our experience applying AI in more than 150 million vehicles worldwide."
Once the Chauffeur system has gone live, it is expected to allow for hands-off and eyes-off autonomous driving between two designated points and eyes-on driving for other applications. This vehicle contains 11 cameras to scan nearby objects and potential hazards and is also made with crowd-sourced geofencing software for safe highway driving.
With the current SuperVision software, individuals can see a virtual environment with other users along with the battery's range and capacity. It will also use the technology to assess where objects are in space and alert the driver to upcoming hazards.
Besides the autonomous driving feature, the coupe is made with more recycled materials, including a custom textile made with recycled plastic. The EV battery in the Polestar 4 is expected to last 300 miles. In comparison, the Tesla SUV Model Y can travel up to 330 miles on a single charge and contains assistive technology to detect hazards and help drivers park.
Tesla currently offers a beta version of autonomous driving, which includes traffic- and stop-sign control, and plans to release some sort of city-street autonomous driving. However, Polestar has the potential to surge ahead in this marketplace because Tesla still requires users to fully control the vehicle when using any of its assistance features. Users must also have their hands on the wheel at all times if it detects insufficient torque, and it may even lock users out of using Autopilot if the instructions aren't followed.
The Polestar 4 is currently only available in China but is expected to enter the global automobile marketplace in 2024. Forbes estimates the vehicle will be priced around $60,000 when it hits North America.
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