This Company Is Trying To Convert Any Car Into A Self-Driving Vehicle For Anyone To Use

Autonomous driving is not a new segment for any of the auto makers around the globe now. The efforts to develop the perfect system though, have more or less been concentrated on the new-age vehicles, equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and cameras for self-driving.

General Motors, however, seems to have taken a different approach to the concept, focussing on existing vehicle models to act as a platform for autonomous driving.

GM Inside News has recently found a new patent filed by GM with the United Stated States Patent and Trademark Office. As per the source, the patent mentions a "system for retrofitting vehicle automation¡±, essentially meaning that GM is working towards a way to convert any or every vehicle into a self-driving one.

GM Patent

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As described in the patent, GM is planning to use motors and sensors in car components such as the steering wheel and pedals as well as around the vehicle to turn a normal car into a self-driving one. The patent only mentions two pedals in the system though, hinting that it might only work for an automatic transmission. Another such limit for the patent is to the drive-by-wire vehicles, ones which use electro-mechanical systems for several vehicle functions like steering or braking, unseen in a lot of older vehicle models.

So what happens once the autonomous system fits in your vehicle? Since it can be controlled through a smartphone, the vehicle will be able to park itself and even come out of the parking to pick you up once summoned.

GM Patent

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It is unknown for now as to when GM plans to introduce the concept in the market and how. It might be a dealer installed system or be fitted in the factory itself. In any of the cases, the autonomous system will be a huge add on once self-driving cars are embraced in majority numbers and the average vehicles will need to catch up.

This is not General Motors¡¯ first showcase of its work on autonomous driving. Earlier, the company had come up with a Chevy-Bolt concept vehicle that used no pedals nor a steering wheel, driving on its own without a human input.