The Japanese carmaker Nissan is researching the possibility of driving our car with just our brain commands. The technology is expected to be ready by 2028. (Image via Nissan)
Every time there is mention of a robot or artificial intelligence, many consider that age-old cliché - whether robots will one day take over the world. The fear is justifiable, I suppose, but so far there is no evidence of robots’ ability to overthrow humankind let alone open a door.
Robots and artificial intelligence software are built, so far, to help humans; and to have proof of that, all it takes is to observe how many people use Siri (Apple) or Alexa (Amazon echo) on a daily basis to check things off their lists. However, nobody imagined a few years ago that AI could serve in the automobile industry. This year, Nissan has surprised the world with their project of using an AI to perfect autonomous driving.
The concept of the project is based on the idea that telepathy is possible. In a nutshell, scientists want to connect the brain to a computer inside the car and let the brain signals guide the car. It might sound like a fairy tale, but nothing more fantasist than traveling to the moon or other planets in the solar system; and if humankind achieved those, it is probable that it will make brain-driven cars happen as well. Product of Nissan, the car could be available for purchase in the next 5-10 years.
At the Consumer Electronics Show this year, Nissan showcased the Brain to Vehicle (B2V) system, the result of years of research about a technology that can decode brain signals, and eventually anticipate the driver’s reactions at the steering wheel. During the preliminary tests, a helmet was put on the head of a person driving an almost autonomous car and hooked to a computer to reveal the different reactions taking place inside the brain when the driver wants to break or make a turn or change speed. The system also analyzed the neural feedback when the car took an action the driver wouldn’t have taken. From the data collected, researchers expect to improve the behavior of self-driven cars, having them turn the steering wheel or slow the car down. As of today, the system can anticipate the driver’s intent by a quarter to half a second early.
Autonomous cars are never completely autonomous. For safety reasons, there is a driver who can take things into hands if needed. In a B2V vehicle, the driver’s tools are also improved. That feature alone should take away any fear about AI taking over the world. Even though they are called autonomous vehicles, those types of cars are really just on cruise control without the driver holding the steering wheel. Ultimately, the driver is still at the command, through his brain. The goal is to make the ride as smooth as that of a normal car. Nissan, through its Intelligent Mobility program, intents to revolutionize the relationship between vehicles and drivers, hoping that will make driving safer for all on the roads. With that vision, the company promises to continue the experimentations till the goal is achieved.
A few scientists already see other applications for the B2V systems. Dr. Lucian Gheorghe, the leader of the B2V research team, believes that they can use the technology with Augmented Reality to further improve the driver’s experience on the road. Dr. Eric Leuthardt, a researcher from the University of Washington, pushes the idea further revealing that he sees a future where 2 humans can read the mind of one another. He thinks that he will be able to finance a project that will put a chip-like device in people’s brain to facilitate telepathic communication, without invading the brain. However, one of his colleagues, Dr. Gerwin Schalk thinks that science still has a long way before such feat is possible. Meanwhile, Nissan is positive that the technology will be ready in ten years.
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