Apple publishes self-driving car study

Apple has published research detailing a new self-driving car approach

Apple has long been suspected of developing autonomous car technology, but while it's remained quiet on this area, it seems to have posted a research paper on the topic.

According to a report by Reuters, the company has apparently published a research paper detailing some of the work it's been doing in the self-driving car space.

The paper, which has appeared on academic research website Arxiv, talks about LiDAR technology. In particular, the firm details a new way that the technology can be used.

Scientists often use this website to get feedback on academic studies and tests, before publishing their findings in final articles.

LiDAR is a popular surveying method, and it uses laser light to measure distance. One of its most recent applications is in the self-driving car sector, where it's helping these vehicles navigate safely.

In the paper, computer scientists working at the firm write about how this technology is helping self-driving cars better spot cyclists and pedestrians.

They've found a method that allows this technology to be used with fewer sensors than previously thought. Instead, there's a bigger emphasis on LiDAR data.

The firm has come up with new software demonstrating its theories, and the researchers said they've generated "highly encouraging results" in terms of improving self-driving car safety.

Apple researchers conducted a range of experiments to get these results, all of which involved computer simulations. There weren't any road tests.

Their approach, the researchers write, could transform the future of self-driving cars. They also said the research "beats" previous studies in the area.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has described self-driving cars as "the mother of all AI projects" in the past. But despite this, it hasn't revealed details about ongoing projects. So this is clearly an important development for the firm.