Weather and other issues such as debris can adversely affect the AV performance. Research and the AV industry are developing systems to reduce the impacts of weather such as specially designed wipers, heated shields, and specially treated surfaces are used to prevent precipitation buildup from ice and snow. AV systems are designed to interpret and identify objects distorted by weather. The AVs are programmed to direct the vehicle to the shoulder and/or re-route to safer conditions.
Figure 2. – Key elements of autonomous vehicles. Source: Kim et al. 2021