A transatlantic feat for teleoperation startup
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Final Assembly
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • Dan Parker will pilot his Chevrolet Corvette with a custom guidance system that provides audible feedback.
      Blind racer gets Cruise support, but he'll drive
      You may have won! But no
      The course was planned for a Vermont ski resort, until neighbors shouted the idea down.
      Off-road course for Broncos? Not in my backyard
      The 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350 reigned supreme in the Ford Frenzy tournament.
      Shelby GT350 gets its one shining moment
    • Huawei
      Huawei to invest $1 billion on auto technology
      GAC Motor Co. launched sales of a new full electric crossover, the Aion Y, in March.
      New-vehicle sales rebound 75% in March from virus-hit 2020
      Wuling launched sales of its first pickup, the Zhengtu, on March 18.
      GM Q1 sales rebound but fall short of pre-COVID level
      The Ford Equator SUV arrived in the Chinese market on March 28
      Ford Q1 sales surge 73% over virus-hit 2020
    • Udelv CEO offers a historical perspective on high-tech goods delivery
      Q&A with BrightDrop CEO Travis Katz
      Automakers optimize manufacturing, customize products through digitization
      3D-printing a Porsche: Making concepts matter
    • WeRide China.jpg
      Nissan-backed startup gets OK to test driverless vehicles in U.S.
      Mobileye Udelv
      Intel's Mobileye teams with startup Udelv on automated delivery
      Nuro Domino's
      Domino's, Nuro to start robot pizza delivery in Houston
      Cruise Origin
      Cruise to deploy robotaxis in Dubai from 2023
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • Ad process evolves with pandemic
      Pandemic adds resonance to Garff effort
      Microchip illustration
      The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: GM production pummeled
      Moreno sets sights on Washington
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Citroen
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
      • Ram
      • Vauxhall
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
      • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • Mach-E
      For Ford, 3rd-party charging network must improve to reap Mustang Mach-E potential
      VW logo with reflection
      VW lied to sell diesels; now it lied to sell EVs
      265725_XC90_Inscription_in_Birch_Light.jpg
      Volvo targets top talent in U.S., China with generous parental leave policy
      Fisker gets a rare second chance to build his own car company
    • In case of supply chain woes, break glass
      Quick! The Biden phone
      VW's Joke Is On You
      Joke Is On You
      In case of supply chain woes, break glass
      view gallery
      3 photos
      Leo Michael Cartoons - Q2 2021
      Leo Michael: There's Nothing You Can Do!
      Nothing You Can Do
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • April 13, 2021 | GM shows it’s serious about electric
      April 6, 2021 | For Volkswagen, authenticity is the only path forward
      March 30, 2021 | Tesla “changes” car industry
      March 23, 2021 | Remote work will continue after the pandemic
    • Ford's Blue Advantage tool shows it's ‘listening' to dealers
      Jamie Butters
      EV rebates must work at retail
      Tracy Fred
      Dealers deserve access to their data
      Dan Shine
      Service drive can lift dealerships as source of used-vehicle inventory
    • Why Xiaomi holds promise of becoming formidable EV player
      Geely’s new EV push is decidedly new age
      Charging poles installed outside a Tesla store in downtown Shanghai.
      Unreliable public EV charging sites prompt automakers to take wheel
      VW Group's playbook to dominate EV market
    • A step in right direction for Nissan dealers
      ‘Voltswagen' April Fools' gag far from funny
      Less is more in lineups as well as on lots
      Electric vehicle charger
      Electric vehicle hype opens door to short sellers
    • ‘Voltswagen' was clever and fun
      With EVs, bias for traditional carmakers
      There goes VW recycling again
      Mixed-use plan a winner
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: Biden eyes $50B for chip production, research
      AutoNews Now: EV battery decision looms for SK Innovation, LG Chem
      AutoNews Now: Ford skipping summer shutdown at many U.S. plants
      Mercedes leads Lexus, BMW in tight luxury race
    • First Shift: Lithia tops AutoNation in U.S. store count with Suburban deal
      First Shift: Ford dealers plan standalone Bronco stores
      First Shift: Hyundai to idle more output due to chip shortage
      First Shift: Biden's EV plan said to include $100B for consumer rebates
    • How a Seattle-area dealer is teaching, retaining auto techs 
      Virtual sales manager Jay Barger
      'Glued to a phone': Acura store's virtual sales boss lifts deliveries, efficiency
      One man’s journey from homelessness to thriving dealer
      Bert Ogden Auto Group
      How a Texas group is cutting costs, saving millions
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
      • Register for the 2021 Best Dealership To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • Cars.com
    • DealerPolicy
    • Gentex
    • IHS Markit
    • Remember Group
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo: Dave Shemmans
    • Ricardo: Marques McCammon
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Capital One Auto: Dealerships remain vital to an increasingly digital car shopping journey
    • DealerSocket: 5 steps to modernizing the buyer's journey
    • Epic Games: Real-time tech is the next frontier of automotive
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • Google: Google's dealer guidebook helps dealers navigate today's digital landscape
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Motormindz: Toward hyperconnectivity: 5 ways to position your business to profit from connected car
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Mobility Report
July 04, 2019 02:00 AM

A transatlantic feat for teleoperation startup

Pete Bigelow
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    If remote drivers can control a car 500 miles away, would it matter if an extra zero was added to the distance and the connection crossed an international border?

    That's the scenario executives at Designated Driver, a teleoperation startup, examined during an experiment last Thursday. They wanted to see if they could remotely operate a vehicle located in West Sussex, England, from their headquarters in Portland, Ore.

    "We were concerned about the latency," CEO Manuela Papadopol told Automotive News. "We didn't know. We're in the middle of nowhere, and we didn't know what to expect."

    Any fears were allayed. Latency on the vital connection was less than 100 milliseconds, better than many of the company's intra-city tests in Portland. In what's believed to be the first test of its kind, Designated Driver remotely operated a vehicle across an international border from a distance of approximately 5,000 miles.

    "This ultralong-distance teleoperation test is extremely significant because it shows how capable our technology is," said Lucas Buckland, vice president of engineering at the company, which launched in March. "While transatlantic teleoperation has been done with military drones and surgical robotics, this is a first for a passenger vehicle."

    In some industry circles, teleoperation, also known as remote operation, is viewed as a key enabling technology for an eventual launch of autonomous vehicles. Should vehicles encounter situations in which they cannot determine the best course of action via their on-board computers, remote operations can either directly pilot a vehicle or provide instructions on how to navigate a tricky circumstance.

    Previously, Designated Driver has showcased its technology in tests between Portland and Santa Clara, Calif., a distance of roughly 500 miles. Its transatlantic feat took place in preparation for demonstrations scheduled as part of this week's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

    From a remote location on site, stunt driver Vaughn Gittin Jr. will pilot Designated Driver's Lincoln MKZ up Goodwood's signature hill climb. It's a spectacle intended to add to the atmosphere of the event, but it's also helping the company develop technologies for remote operation.

    So far, Designated Driver conducts its operations with a remote driver sitting in front of a bank of six screens that provide video feeds from the vehicles. At Goodwood, Gittin will test prototype virtual-reality headsets provided by Samsung linked to a Galaxy S10 affixed to the windshield of the vehicle. The devices will maintain a 5G connection that is believed to be the first used to remotely control a vehicle.

    That's part of a fledgling partnership between Samsung, Designated Driver and Vodafone. The three companies intend to work together to probe how 5G technology can support safety-critical applications, such as providing a secure and latency-free video connection for remote driving.

    "That really pushes the required technology, camera technology, the latency technology and streaming under 5G, and developing the right APIs for phones in the application," said Yoon Lee, head of innovation for Samsung's North American division. "All those are required to go to the next level, and we're hoping to spark further development."

    Gittin is making more than a cameo appearance — he has a role in that innovation. Accustomed to relying on sounds of the engine and the sense of G-forces acting on his body while driving cars at the edge of their performance capability, he's now learning to drive without those cues in teleoperation scenarios. His experience is helping the company ensure its screens convey the right information to future teleoperators and consider whether haptic vibrations or audio cues might be helpful in its systems.

    "It's a very wild experience, because the only thing I can compare to that I've done is playing a video game," Gittin said. "But games don't have consequences and don't share the road with pedestrians and other vehicles. So there's certainly a very big responsibility that you feel behind the wheel."

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Nissan-backed startup gets OK to test driverless vehicles in U.S.
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

     

     

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Nissan-backed startup gets OK to test driverless vehicles in U.S.
    Nissan-backed startup gets OK to test driverless vehicles in U.S.
    Intel's Mobileye teams with startup Udelv on automated delivery
    Intel's Mobileye teams with startup Udelv on automated delivery
    Domino's, Nuro to start robot pizza delivery in Houston
    Domino's, Nuro to start robot pizza delivery in Houston
    Sponsored Content: The Dealer's Guide to Implementing a Digital Sales Experience
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    See more newsletter options at autonews.com/newsletters.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Digital Edition
    Automotive News 4-12-21
    THIS WEEK'S EDITION
    See our archive
    Fixed Ops Journal
    Fixed Ops Journal 4-12-21
    Read the issue
    See our archive
    MOBILITY REPORT NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our Thursday afternoon Mobility Report newsletter, your one-stop shop for the latest developments at the intersection of transportation and technology.
    WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Sign up to start your week with the top stories from the latest issue of Automotive News, delivered to your inbox first thing each Monday morning.
    DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up to get the top stories of the day in your inbox every business weekday afternoon.
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    Subscribe Today

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Our mission

    The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

    AN-LOGO-BLUE
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit, Michigan
    48207-2997

    (877) 812-1584

    Email us

    Automotive News
    ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
    ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

    Fixed Ops Journal
    ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
    ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe
    • Manage your account
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • NEWS
      • Dealers
        • Access F&I
        • Fixed Ops Journal
        • Marketing
        • Used Cars
        • Retail Technology
        • Sales
        • Best Practices
        • Dealership Buy/Sell
        • NADA
        • NADA Show
      • Automakers & Suppliers
        • Automakers
        • Manufacturing
        • Suppliers
        • Regulations & Safety
        • Executives
        • Talk From The Top
        • Leading Women Network
        • Guide to Economic Development
        • PACE Awards
        • Management Briefing Seminars
        • World Congress
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls-Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Genesis
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • McLaren
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Citroen
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Ferrari
          • Fiat
          • Jeep
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Opel
          • Peugeot
          • Ram
          • Vauxhall
        • Renault
        • Subaru
        • Suzuki
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
          • Seat
          • Skoda
        • Volvo
        • (Discontinued Brands)
      • Cars & Concepts
        • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
          • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
          • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
          • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
          • KIA: 2021 K5
          • LEXUS: 2021 IS
          • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
          • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
        • Auto Shows
        • Future Product Pipeline
        • Photo Galleries
        • Car Cutaways
        • Design
      • Final Assembly
      • China
      • Shift
      • Mobility Report
      • Special Reports
      • Digital Edition Archive
      • This Week's Issue
    • OPINION
      • Blogs
      • Cartoons
      • Keith Crain
      • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
      • Columnists
      • China Commentary
      • Editorials
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Send us a Letter
    • DATA CENTER
    • VIDEO
      • AutoNews Now
      • First Shift
      • Special Video Reports
      • Weekend Drive
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • Events
        • Congress Conversations
        • Retail Forum: NADA
        • Canada Congress
        • Europe Congress Conversations
        • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
        • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
      • Awards
        • 100 Leading Women
        • 40 Under 40 Retail
        • All-Stars
        • Best Dealerships To Work For
          • Register for the 2021 Best Dealership To Work For
        • PACE Program
        • Rising Stars
        • Europe Rising Stars
    • JOBS
    • AN Solutions
    • +MORE
      • Leading Women Network
      • Podcasts
        • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
        • Special Reports Podcasts
        • Daily Drive Podcasts
      • Webinars
      • In the Driver's Seat
        • AAM
        • Cars.com
        • DealerPolicy
        • Gentex
        • IHS Markit
        • Remember Group
        • Reputation.com
        • Ricardo: Dave Shemmans
        • Ricardo: Marques McCammon
      • Publishing Partners
        • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
        • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
        • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
        • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
        • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
        • Capital One Auto: Dealerships remain vital to an increasingly digital car shopping journey
        • DealerSocket: 5 steps to modernizing the buyer's journey
        • Epic Games: Real-time tech is the next frontier of automotive
        • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
        • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
        • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
        • Google: Google's dealer guidebook helps dealers navigate today's digital landscape
        • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
        • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
        • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
        • Motormindz: Toward hyperconnectivity: 5 ways to position your business to profit from connected car
        • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
        • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
        • Ally: Do It Right
        • DealerSocket
        • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
        • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
        • Guide To Economic Development
        • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
      • Classifieds
      • Companies on the Move
      • People on the Move
      • Newsletters
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • RSS Feeds