An in-depth survey of autonomous vehicles, examining the past, present, and future of the technological developments, scientific principles, and innovators behind driverless vehicles.
Part of the Odysseys in Technology series
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) groundbreaking 2002 Grand Challenge—to create a vehicle capable of traveling 142 miles across the Mojave Desert on its own in less than 12 hours—makes an exciting start to this entry in the "Odysseys in Technology" series (4 titles). The thorough text then provides a history of driverless cars from 1925, when inventor Francis P. Houdina sent a car controlled by radio signals through the streets of New York City, to DARPA’s numerous Grand Challenges, which steeply advanced autonomous vehicle technology. The next chapters take a balanced approach as they examine the artificial intelligence used to develop autonomous vehicles, the vehicles' potential risks and benefits, and their possible impact on employment. Sleek, high-resolution photos are a fitting accompaniment to this high-interest STEM topic that will continue to gain more traction.
–Angela Leeper, Booklist, 04/01/2020
This series describes innovative technology from its inception through development to its present actualization. Each title is published in the same engaging format. The full-color pictures, clear page design, and fascinating subject matter will draw students in. They will remain engrossed in the text due to the entertaining yet extremely informative writing style. Concise mini-biographies of people instrumental in the development of the innovation featured in the various titles are interspersed throughout. Examples of innovative products are highlighted in single-page spotlights which include a picture and a detailed description. Teachers will appreciate the research-ready features, which include a table of contents, timeline, bibliography, glossary, additional websites, and index. In addition, picture captions include detailed descriptions of the items depicted or a concise explanation of a concept which enhances text comprehension. The series has a place in all school libraries as it provides a definitive look into current innovative technologies compactly wrapped in an engaging format. Libraries in schools that have programs in computer science, makerspaces, genius hour, innovation, and project-based learning where research is of importance are a definite audience for this series. Highly recommended.
–Darshell Silva, School Library Connection, 05/01/2020