英闻天下——304 Driving a Car with a Tablet Computer

 　　Scientists have unveiled the latest prototype of a car that "drives itself" with the help of a tablet computer.

 

　　Acting¹ like a plane on autopilot, it is designed to take over from humans in slow-moving heavy traffic or on a familiar route such as a school run.

 

　　The vehicle is activated² via an iPad on the dashboard. By tapping on a prompt, the driver can make the car's onboard computer take the wheel.

 

　　Driverless cars are also known as autonomous³ vehicles and robotcars. The robotcar that is being developed by Oxford⁴ University and Nissan at Begbroke Science Park in Oxfordshire, uses a combination of external sensors⁶ and computer power to calculate the correct direction and speed.

 

　　Professor Paul Newman is one of the developers of this project.

 

　　"I absolutely believe that having machines in control of the car can make them safer otherwise they would not be a product. To say that machines won't be driving us in the future is much harder to believe and say we are condemned⁷ to a future of congestion⁸ time wasting and pollution and dangerous driving. It is hard to distract a computer."

 

　　Google and carmakers such as Audi AG, BMW AG, Ford⁵ Motor and Volvo have been working on autonomous car technology for years.

 

　　Several U.S. states have already passed laws that would allow such vehicles on public highways.

 

　　Colorado is the latest state considering legalizing autonomous vehicles.

 

　　Colorado's proposal states that automated⁹ cars must still contain licensed¹⁰ drivers and must have an override¹¹ switch so they can be driven manually if needed. The "drivers" in automated cars would be allowed to text or type with hands off the wheel and feet off the pedals.

 

　　There is no legislation to allow the driverless cars to take to the road in the UK, but the designers are in discussions with the UK Department of Transport.

 

　　Smart technology is already a part of new cars produced around the world, with motion sensors, guided parking and cruise control.

 

　　The technology used in the robotcar currently adds $7,743 U.S. dollars to the cost of a typical vehicle, but researchers are confident prices will fall with mass production.

 

　　However, motoring writer Mike Rutherford cautioned that insurers might be reluctant to provide coverage¹² for such vehicles.

 

　　"It's difficult enough to get cars insured when you're a driver with a decent record and you have no history of crashes or endorsements¹³. Imagine contacting a comparison website and trying to explain that you don't actually want to drive it, you just want to ride as a passenger in it, and the car drives itself."

 

　　Autonomous cars use computers, sensors and other technology to operate independently, but a human driver can override the autopilot function and take control of the vehicle at any time.

 

　　For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

3 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

4 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

5 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

6 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

7 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

8 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

9 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

10 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

11 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

12 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

13 endorsements   

n.背书( endorsement的名词复数 )；（驾驶执照上的）违章记录；（公开的）赞同；（通常为名人在广告中对某一产品的）宣传

参考例句：

• He must make much money on those tennis shoe endorsements he does. 他替那些网球鞋珍重广告，就赚了不少钱。 来自互联网
• But celebrity endorsements remain an important promotional tool for marketers. 尽管如此，邀明星助阵仍是营销人员重要的推广手段之一。 来自互联网