Chapter 127 - 123 Test_1

"As expected of a product from an aerospace company, the quality is just so high, and it uses a specially customized chip and a self-developed system. How could it not succeed when it’s made to this extent for just one car?"

Having gained an initial understanding of the XW151, Mr. Chen was already extremely impressed. To have such performance in 2015 was unimaginably excellent.

"Mr. Chen, the next test is the extreme test. Would you like to...?"

"No, I’ll stay in the car. We must trust our partners!"

The test engineer wanted him to get out, but Mr. Chen remained stubbornly in the passenger seat. Fortunately, the test vehicle was specially reinforced and they were also wearing full protective gear so the probability of a major accident was not high.

The chassis of the XC4 had been tested many times and didn’t require attention, so today the focus was mainly on understanding the limits of the XW151.

The next item was lane-keeping assist, primarily for use on high-speed cruising, allowing the AI driving system to travel uniformly along the lane markings, reducing the driver’s workload.

Although there have been accidents in later years where drivers, overly relying on the lane-keeping system, became distracted or fell asleep at the wheel, resulting in destruction and death, the feature is indeed very useful.

The XC4 changed lanes, two engineering vehicles appeared in front, and then all accelerated to around 60 km/h. One vehicle was in front of the XC4, and the other to the right, simulating the conditions in the fast lane of a highway.

The test engineer for the XC4 confirmed the navigation was precisely calibrated, then began to voice-activate the XW151:

"Xiaoxin, activate the lane assist at a cruising speed of 60 kilometers per hour."

0.5 seconds later, a soft female voice came from the vehicle’s system:

"Okay, I will activate lane assist for you. Please use this feature while on the highway, and do not remove your hands from the steering wheel or your right foot from the pedals during use. Recognizing lane markings... Lane detected, cruising at 60 kilometers per hour. You may rest a bit."

Under Mr. Chen’s watchful gaze, the test engineer slowly took his foot back and then took his hands off the steering wheel, hovering about 5 cm above it.

On the large screen in the middle of the vehicle, radar and camera captured the three lanes, and the two vehicles in front and to the right also appeared on the screen, thoughtfully indicating their speeds as well.

But the vehicle’s state remained unchanged, steadily progressing along the painted track. When it reached a curve, the steering wheel turned slowly, and the vehicle completed a lap perfectly along with the other two.

At this point, the other two vehicles signaled their intention to speed up, and the test engineer also gave an immediate command:

"Xiaoxin, increase the speed to 90 kilometers."

"Received, accelerating to 90 kilometers per hour."

The XC4 then began to accelerate, the pedal automatically pressed down. At this moment, because they were nearing a curve, the vehicle in front slowed down a bit, and as the gap between it and the XC4 closed to within 20 meters, the XC4 automatically slowed down, gently applied the brakes, and maintained a safe distance.

Mr. Chen nodded quietly, "We can start further testing now."

"Then please brace yourself."

Once the test engineer finished speaking, he picked up the communicator, "Begin the lane change test! Car 2, cut in!"

A few seconds after he spoke, the three vehicles reached a straight stretch. Car 2 on the right signaled a left turn. The XC4’s visual system immediately captured this and displayed it on the vehicle’s screen, while Car 2 on the simulation screen lit up continuously:

Xiaoxin: "A vehicle to the front right may be changing lanes. Please take note and be ready to slow down."

After three consecutive reminders, the test engineer still made no move, the voice ceased, and at the same time, Car 2 suddenly merged into the lane, squeezing between XC4 and Car 1.

As Car 2 entered the lane, the system had already reduced the throttle and gently applied the brakes during the merge, decreasing the speed to 80 km/h, and only after maintaining a safe distance from Car 2 did it accelerate back to 90 km/h.

The entire operation was smooth, without any jerks, like an experienced veteran driver, Chen Jun’s gaze toward the car’s system grew even more astonished.

Next, Car 1 and Car 2 began to create various emergency scenarios, including consecutive lane changes, sudden deceleration, and driving over lane lines among several other maneuvers, but XC4 performed well, remaining stable on the lane and avoiding all potential incidents in advance.

Then came the final test.

Car 1 and Car 2 accelerated away from the test section, and then a few individuals began setting up cones as obstacles on a stretch of the road that XC4 had not yet traveled.

By this time, XC4 had already driven 10 laps on the 3-kilometer track without the test engineer touching the controls once, and now, it was time for the big test.

The onlookers standing along the racetrack, including Xin’an and Southern Automobile’s engineers, were all aware that the intelligent driving system was taking over the driving, and they were muttering in amazement.

"This isn’t just assisted driving, it’s clearly autonomous driving, the timing of the deceleration and acceleration is just perfect."

"This car is worth more than half a million for a reason, who else has this kind of technology now?"

"I heard that their intelligent driving system alone, including the sensor radar, costs tens of thousands. That’s a whole car right there, all money..."

The discussions grew softer because XC4 was approaching the obstacle section.

First up was an obstacle in the middle of the lane ahead; XW151 spotted it from over a hundred meters away, but it wasn’t until 15 meters that it reacted to the stationary object with a couple of "thunks" and then swerved the steering wheel to cut into the left lane.

Shifting to the left lane was the system’s internal priority logic.

To the onlookers, XC4’s steering was not dramatic, the distance it missed the obstacles by was close, but it still managed very well, and the vehicle maintained its stability.

But that was just the first obstacle; the next three lanes were blocked by cones placed 1 meter apart, leaving only a 2.3-meter gap in the middle of the left lane, only 40 cm wider than XC4.

At this point, XC4 was still cruising at 90 km/h; it saw the obstacles and the 2.3-meter gap, then, without decreasing its speed in the slightest, it accurately passed right through the middle.

Seeing that it didn’t hit a single cone, the onlookers immediately began clamoring, as XC4 had obviously seen the cones but managed to navigate past them with precision.

Next was the most challenging test, with a diagonal line of emergency lane-change barriers stretching from the left to the right lane ahead, signaling a merge into the right lane, XC4 spotted the two-lane barrier at 50 meters and slammed on the brakes.

Mr. Chen thought it was going to come to a stop, but instead, the speed only dropped to 40 km/h, and then XC4 smoothly changed lanes to the right, not forgetting to signal in advance...

In the end, XC4 successfully changed lanes, and the road ahead was blocked by barriers; XW151 gradually slowed down and came to a stop, with only the "thunks" of continuous prompts remaining inside the vehicle.

Because the test engineer failed to act more than three times, XW151 had now determined the driver to be "unable to continue driving." It was supposed to use intense alarms to try waking the driver and should have dialed 110 to make an automated emergency call, given the built-in SIM card in the vehicle system, but the latter function had been turned off.

By the racetrack, those who witnessed XC4’s incredible performance went wild with breakdowns, never having imagined the intelligent driving system to be so powerful; it seemed that on the highway, there was probably no need to manage automatic driving anymore!

Chen Jun got out of the car and gave two big thumbs up to the car system.

"Damn it, electric cars haven’t eliminated gas cars, but drivers are going to be replaced by computers first."