Perseverance has been using AI for autonomous navigation for a long time, however, it recently set a real record thanks to an update to its algorithms.
Although the rover moves independently with 2021 year using the AutoNav system, recent advances have taken this technology to a new level.
Unlike previous rovers (such as Curiosity), with which the operators on Earth had to prescribe each step, Perseverance uses a powerful dedicated processor to process images in real time:
Construction of the map: It creates a 3D map of the area as it moves.
Obstacle avoidance: AI independently recognizes sharp stones, sand traps and steep slopes.
“Thinking on the go”: Thanks to the AutoNav system, the rover does not stop, to consider the next step. It calculates the path in parallel with the rotation of the wheels.
Perseverance is now in the critical phase of the mission — the ascent to the edge of the Lake Crater (Crater Lake). It is a very difficult terrain with a large slope.
Speed: Thanks to AI navigation, the rover covers distances of 2-3 times faster, than if it were manually controlled from Earth (considering the signal delay of ~20 minutes).
Saving time: The less time spent on the road, the more remains for scientific research and sample collection.
Perseverance set a record last year, having driven over 700 meters through a complex field of boulders («Snowdrift Peak») completely autonomous, which was previously considered impossible without human intervention. Perseverance's algorithms are so advanced, which NASA now calls it “the smartest robotic geologist in history”.
Source: https://lookintothe.space