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Google is working on them. Apple is rumored to be. Big Auto almost certainly is. Here's my thoughts:
They're going to happen, that's inevitable. Humans operate at meat-speed (the firing of neurons and the closing of synapses in a biological medium that severely, through the limits of physics, resistance, chemical reactions, and a whole host of other factors, limits the speeds at which we can react), while even non-AI computers operate at near-light speeds (CPU's operate on electricity, which WOULD be light-speed in a vacuum, but still has to contend with minute amounts of resistance, conductivity, and heat, etc, etc. Still, it's vastly faster than meat-speed). Bottom line? A cpu-driven vehicle with the appropriate sensor suites (radar, sonar, proximity, etc etc) will ALWAYS react faster to perceived inputs than a human can, barring malfunction or tampering. This will eventually directly translate to your car being a better driver than you can ever hope to be and thus, greater safety. Of course, the 'herd immunity' concept that comes into play with vaccinations will also play a large part in a fully-automated traffic system: for the best safety, everyone will have to be 'innoculated', aka, machine-driven vehicles. It does my self-driven car little good when some drunk fucker decides to play bumper cars, though even then, there might be some mitigation as my car tries to avoid it.
I understand that the concept is counter-intuitive, particularly for those of my generation (Gen X) or older, and will take some getting used to. Nearly everyone is going to think "I can do better than a machine". But the simple fact is...no. You can't. At least not a properly developed, equipped, and programmed one. Google's experiment has driven 1.7 million miles with only 11 accidents over 6 years...and all of those were caused by humans. (As of May 2015).
Self-driving vehicles are GOING to happen. So. What are your thoughts? Pros? Cons? Do you agree or disagree?
They're going to happen, that's inevitable. Humans operate at meat-speed (the firing of neurons and the closing of synapses in a biological medium that severely, through the limits of physics, resistance, chemical reactions, and a whole host of other factors, limits the speeds at which we can react), while even non-AI computers operate at near-light speeds (CPU's operate on electricity, which WOULD be light-speed in a vacuum, but still has to contend with minute amounts of resistance, conductivity, and heat, etc, etc. Still, it's vastly faster than meat-speed). Bottom line? A cpu-driven vehicle with the appropriate sensor suites (radar, sonar, proximity, etc etc) will ALWAYS react faster to perceived inputs than a human can, barring malfunction or tampering. This will eventually directly translate to your car being a better driver than you can ever hope to be and thus, greater safety. Of course, the 'herd immunity' concept that comes into play with vaccinations will also play a large part in a fully-automated traffic system: for the best safety, everyone will have to be 'innoculated', aka, machine-driven vehicles. It does my self-driven car little good when some drunk fucker decides to play bumper cars, though even then, there might be some mitigation as my car tries to avoid it.
I understand that the concept is counter-intuitive, particularly for those of my generation (Gen X) or older, and will take some getting used to. Nearly everyone is going to think "I can do better than a machine". But the simple fact is...no. You can't. At least not a properly developed, equipped, and programmed one. Google's experiment has driven 1.7 million miles with only 11 accidents over 6 years...and all of those were caused by humans. (As of May 2015).
Self-driving vehicles are GOING to happen. So. What are your thoughts? Pros? Cons? Do you agree or disagree?
Posted in these groups: 
Technology
Cars
Technology Cars
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 21
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Inevitable, lower errors, more lives saved, safer, lower cost. I fail to see downsides.
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Capt Richard I P.
Especially since the fail safe answer for virtually every "what if" scenario for a problem while driving is: apply the brakes as strongly as conditions allow, bring vehicle to as rapid a stop as possible without skidding.
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SN Greg Wright
I'll tell you this right now. We started hearing about these things 3 years ago when I started working in insurance. To be honest, insurance companies are still trying to figure out how to handle claims that will involve these. Do you blame the occupants? Do you blame the programmer? How do you prove who the programmer was in a timely manner in order to resolve a claim?
I'll tell you this right now. We started hearing about these things 3 years ago when I started working in insurance. To be honest, insurance companies are still trying to figure out how to handle claims that will involve these. Do you blame the occupants? Do you blame the programmer? How do you prove who the programmer was in a timely manner in order to resolve a claim?
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SN Greg Wright
SSgt (Join to see) Sounds like a nightmare, I'm glad I don't have to do it! Definitely something that will need to be worked out...but it will be.
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SN Greg Wright You can keep them,Greg,i am too old to even think about them.I still have trouble making my phone work properly. LOL
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