AI-powered robocar passes driving test with flawless score & takes blind woman on first solo ride since losing sight
A VISUALLY impaired woman has been handed the keys to a hopeful future – thanks to a robot driver.
Pearl Outlaw, 36, suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a congenital condition that saw her drastically begin to lose her eyesight when she was just 28 years old.
The loss of vision was rapid and permanent.
The Portland, Oregon, native now can only see shades of light and dark, relying on her mother Ruth, and other friends and family to assist her with daily life.
Yet thanks to Hyundai’s visionary IONIQ 5 driverless car, Pearl was given a taste of independence which many of her fellow sufferers have been yearning for.
The state-of-the-art robotaxi, like the models being rolled out this year by Tesla boss Elon Musk, is fueled by a supercharged artificial intelligence that is so effective it passed a driving test in Las Vegas earlier this year.
PUT TO THE TEST
The South Korean manufacturing giant released a short film of the robotaxi passing its driving test, administered by an official driving examiner – becoming the first autonomous car to pass a DMV driving test in the process.
Pearl’s mother, Ruth, was worried about her daughter putting her life in the hands of a bot.
But both were blown away by the experience and are now eagerly awaiting the car to be released publicly.
“If you ask anyone in my position, we have been waiting for something like this for years,” she told The U.S. Sun.
“I would start riding around everywhere tomorrow if I could.”
In 2018, Pearl attended a school in Boston to prepare for life without her eyesight, where she stayed for 12 months but remained on their mailing list.
Earlier this year, she received an email asking if anyone with a disability wanted to be in a commercial – and the rest is history.
“I never thought I would get chosen,” she admitted. “But I am glad I did.”
Pearl certainly hasn’t let her issues dampen her adventurous spirit.
She spoke to The U.S. Sun from a training camp in Massachusetts in preparation for a week-long trip to Peru to compete in the rowing world championship which will see a boat comprised of competitors with a range of disabilities riding ocean waves.
Pearl is determined to live as normal a life as possible, but to have a car that could drive her anywhere without having to rely on the goodwill of others would be a monumental boost.
“It would be amazing to have a car like this to get me around,” she said.
“I’d go on a cross-country road trip. How amazing would that be?”
ON THE ROAD
In the film, produced by creative agency Jung von Matt and directed by Park Pictures’ Daniel Mercadante, the Hyundai IONIQ5 robotaxi effortlessly takes a regulation driving test on the streets of Las Vegas, with a certified driving examiner from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
Kandice Jones is certainly no pushover – over the years she’s failed almost 84% of student drivers.
Yet the efficiency, and driving ability, of the robotaxi left her floored.
Its speed control, lane changes, and maneuvering; the ability to accurately stop at a stop sign and perform left turns; and its reaction time to developing hazards all impressed.
Kandice was blown away – and handed out a flawless score.
According to the US Department of Transportation, over 5 million people nationwide are unable to drive due to a mental or physical condition.
Nevertheless, the American Automobile Association says 73% of Americans do not trust self-driving cars.
Yet the impressive display during the test illustrated the robotaxi’s reliability and safety, potentially opening a new era of trust and empowerment that could transform millions of lives for people like Pearl.
“As a company that pursues freedom of mobility, we at Hyundai aim to exhibit the safety and trustworthiness of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi through this very campaign,” said Sungwon Jee, Hyundai’s senior vice president and global chief marketing officer.
“We will continue our efforts to raise awareness about our AI-based autonomous driving technology, which is set to provide positive changes to the everyday lives of our customers.”
It’s unclear when Hyundai will roll out the robotaxi for universal use, but it cannot come soon enough for adventure-seeking Pearl.
“It feels like years ago that Google announced they were developing a self-driving car,” she said.
“Being able to rent something like this when traveling or just having your own car would be fantastic.”