CSAIL joins with Toyota on $25 million research center for autonomous cars
The World Health Organization estimates that 3,400 people die each day from traffic-related accidents. Could autonomous cars be part of the solution? Today MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) announced a new $25 million research center funded by Toyota to further the development of autonomous vehicle technologies, with the goal of reducing traffic casualties and potentially even developing a vehicle incapable of getting into an accident. Announced at a press conference in California, the Toyota-CSAIL Joint Research Center will be part of a combined $50 million that Toyota has committed to dual centers at MIT and Stanford University to advance the state of autonomous systems. Led by CSAIL director Daniela Rus, the new center will focus on developing advanced decision-making algorithms and systems that allow vehicles to perceive and navigate their surroundings safely, without human input. “We are excited to mark the start of our partnership with Toyota, and hopefully the beginning...