Self-driving cars are communicating better – what does this mean for our safety?

NYU Tandon researchers have developed "Cached Decentralized Federated Learning" (Cached-DFL), a system that improves how autonomous vehicles communicate. Unlike traditional methods requiring central servers, this approach allows vehicles to train AI models independently and share them directly when in proximity. "It's a bit like how information spreads in social networks," explained Professor Yong Liu, who led the research team. "Devices can now pass along knowledge from others they've met, even if those devices never directly encounter each other." The technology can help vehicles learn about diverse road conditions they haven't personally encountered, enhancing safety and adaptability.