If drivers are worried about the functionality of their self-driving car, it defeats the purpose. These two weather-driven problems are both huge sticking points for the adoption and purchase of AVs and electric vehicles. Vehicle Range: For electric AVs, warm weather conditions decrease range by up to 17% and cold weather conditions decrease range by up to 41%.Radar Functionality: MMW radar can be reduced by 55% during severe precipitation.There are a number of additional risks posed by weather, including: However, this exciting technology is also vulnerable to the weather. These high res sensors help cars see everything from a bend in the road to a pedestrian crossing the street. Most AVs and self-driving cars navigate via radar, often combined with cameras and lidar. It’s obvious that weather poses risks for any driver on the road today, but why does it matter even more for self-driving cars and electric vehicles? Here is why every self-driving car needs to incorporate weather data for a safer driving future. So what can you do? Adapt to the weather and plan accordingly. If it’s too foggy or raining too hard, even the most advanced AV may not be able to drive anywhere at all. But weather can be even more treacherous for AVs.īecause autonomous vehicles use technology like radar and lidar to navigate, bad weather can actually reduce the functionality of these cars. While AVs, also known as self-driving cars, have to adapt to a variety of road conditions, the weather can quickly throw a wrench into the works.įrom icy road conditions to low visibility from fog, there are a variety of ways that weather can make driving hazardous. Last but not least, pilots should always remember that it is within the commander’s authority to refuse any given approach and even divert to an alternate airport, if the overall risk for an approach is considered excessive.Autonomous vehicles are cutting edge technology, but surprisingly, they’re impacted by one of the most traditional challenges in the world: the weather. In the conditions described above, this might lead to an increased number of go-arounds as in the absence of LVO flight crews might be expecting CAT 1 conditions in their approach preparation. The commencement of Low Visibility Operations may be based solely on the prevailing visibility, irrespective of any cloud ceiling of vertical visibility. When LVO have been activated, a CAT 2 or even CAT 3 approach could be executed, enabling the crew to descend to a lower height over ground, permitting them to descend below cloudbase and identify the appropriate lights or features of the landing runway. If, however, clouds with a base at or below the CAT 1 minimum are present at the position where the aircraft reaches the CAT 1 minimum, the density of this phenomenon might well prevent the crew from acquiring enough cues to be able to continue the approach. The required visibility assures that the lights are within a distance from the pilots’ eyes that it is physically possible to see them. This is why we put together brief guidance with mitigating measures that could help crews operating into any airport, where a ceiling/vertical visibility is not considered when deciding on the type of operations.Īn approach in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) may only be continued below the appropriate minimum if the required features of the landing runway, the runway or the approach lights are in sight at these minimums. Or even worse, more than sufficient visibility, but a thick cloud layer extends below CAT 1 minimums and Low Visibility Operations (LVO) are not (yet) activated… A go-around seems imminent while the weather forecast and ATIS information may not have caused you to expect this course of action. A bright sunny day, but a persistent stratiform cloud blocks the view of the runway when approaching the minimums.
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