Navigating the Future: Directing Self-Driving Cars to Specific Parking Spots
Imagine a future where you step out of a movie theater and simply tell your self-driving vehicle, 'park nearby.' The car, with its advanced sensors and AI, recognizes and finds an available spot, waiting for you right outside the exit. However, what if the parking lot has specific requirements for parking spots? How would a self-driving car be directed to a specific parking spot?
Why Cease Worrying About Specific Spots?
Today, with vehicles like the Mercedes Benz E Class featuring automatic parking features, cars can detect and park in vacant spots with ease. In a movie theater scenario, you'd simply tell your vehicle to 'park nearby,' and it would take care of the rest. The car would choose a spot and be ready for you to exit once the movie is over. Similarly, if the parking lot has specific regulations, the car could communicate with a parking service backend to determine the best spot according to the assigned coordinates.
As technology progresses, humans will delegate tasks such as these to AI, freeing them from the burden of selecting parking spots. Just as we no longer concern ourselves with file folders on our iPhone, the decision of parking spot allocation will become a thing of the past.
But, Would You Direct the Car?
The answer is no, I wouldn't, because I don't direct traffic in parking lots. Very few people do.
It would be challenging to communicate with an inanimate object, especially if the car is truly autonomous. Even though today's self-driving cars in places like California are not fully legal for general public use, it's unrealistic to assume that humans will suddenly begin to speak to cars as if they were sentient beings without significant advancements in technology and communication methods.
A Hypothetical Future with AI Autonomy
Let's consider a hypothetical scenario where AI-based intelligence can indeed drive vehicles and understand spoken language. In this future world, the AI wouldn't necessarily need human input; it would require a directive that gives it a goal.
If I were to command an AI-driven car, I might simply say, 'go park yourself.' The car, with its advanced AI, would understand the directive and act accordingly.
How to Direct a Self-Driving Car to a Specific Parking Spot
Imagine you're in a parking lot and need to park at a specific spot, say B3. You would simply command the car in the language of your choice, disregarding any accents. For example, you might say, 'park at spot B3.' The car, with its advanced technology, would recognize your command and navigate to the desired spot.
However, if the spot is unmarked, the task becomes more challenging. You might need to further specify the location, perhaps by describing its relation to other spots or nearby landmarks.
Understanding and Delegation
The crucial aspect is understanding and delegation. In the future, with AI becoming more sophisticated, humans will delegate parking spot directives to the car. The car will then autonomously handle the task, ensuring it parks in the most appropriate spot according to the situation and any specific requirements.
As self-driving cars become more prevalent and AI technology advances, managing parking spots will become a seamless process, much like any other task that can be handled by advanced technology.