Diamonds create a driverless future
By Teamspirit on Friday 6 January 2017
Scientists have developed lab-grown red diamonds with a gap in the atomic lattice which could replace GPS systems due to their sensitivity to magnetic waves, it has been suggested this week.
Currently driverless vehicles monitor their positioning in relation to one another via radar sensors connected to GPS satellites, which send a signal back to earth. The ambition is that diamonds could replace this system, since their extreme sensitivity to magnetic waves means they are able to detect a passing car 300 metres away.
Self-driving cars are set to become ever more common in 2017, and following the frequent reporting of driverless accidents last year it is encouraging to see technology that might permit a safer autonomous future of driving.
It will also be interesting to see how the insurance industry reacts to an expanding network of increasingly connected vehicles. As the control input transfers from human to computer to such an extent, it is expected that liability will follow suit and the responsibility will lie with a combination of developer, driver and manufacturer.
