Self-driving Cars???

[#juan]

Do we really want these things? Can we even imagine getting into a car with no pedals, no steering wheel etc? I can't. Nissan thinks they will have them on the market in about seven years.



Self-driving cars: Have we really thought this through? - Blog Central, Scott Feschuk, Scott Feschuk - Macleans.ca

 

[SLM]

Given the way some people drive, is this necessarily a bad thing? Definitely there would be some benefits I would think, just off the top of my head, a reduction possibly even elimination in drunk drivers should we eventually move to all automated driving systems. I'm sure we'd be giving some things up as well, but I'd venture to guess it could possibly be an overall greater benefit. Potentially anyway.

 

[petros]

Yes! Yes we do. Question is; can they drive on ice?

 

[#juan]

Given the way some people drive, is this necessarily a bad thing? Definitely there would be some benefits I would think, just off the top of my head, a reduction possibly even elimination in drunk drivers should we eventually move to all automated driving systems. I'm sure we'd be giving some things up as well, but I'd venture to guess it could possibly be an overall greater benefit. Potentially anyway.

I envision a trip through the Fraser Canyon where they have ditches that are five hundred feet deep. If I think the car is about to cause me death or serious injury, I want an over-ride to get me back in control or I would be a drooling, catatonic, mess before I went five miles.

 

[SLM]

I envision a trip through the Fraser Canyon where they have ditches that are five hundred feet deep. If I think the car is about to cause me death or serious injury, I want an over-ride to get me back in control or I would be a drooling, catatonic, mess before I went five miles.

Sure, that's understandable. I'm sure there would be many legitimate reasons for wanting over-ride control and I'm sure there would be other kinks to work out as well. But if I'm envisioning all vehicles being fully automated, I'm still seeing it as an overall greater benefit. If we stop and think about it, what is the cause of the majority of accidents and fatalities on the roadways? Driver error mostly due to being over tired, not focusing properly, etc. While mistakes and errors can always still happen (there's probably no such thing as completely fool proof) I'd wager they'd happen with less frequency if all vehicles were fully automated.

I think the notion is very interesting and has a lot of promise.

 

[Blackleaf]

Maybe these things could end the scourge of women drivers.

 

[petros]

In cities it makes 100% sense.

Vehicles have come a long way. I can't cut donuts with my truck unless I turn off the traction control. It feels the road the same way we do but doesn't make mistakes like we do.

 

[SLM]

In cities it makes 100% sense.

Vehicles have come a long way. I can't cut donuts with my truck unless I turn off the traction control. It feels the road the same way we do but doesn't make mistakes like we do.

There are pros and cons I'm sure. The article does make a good point about the reaction time of an automated system when it comes to pedestrians. Say a little kid running out into the street, would the sensors allow for the vehicle to stop in time? I don't know, there are times when a human driver can't stop in time either. And we can't really say, because there are no hard stats, on how many times driver's avoid hitting people, so perhaps the human element is a larger factor than is being considered.

But overall I'd say you're right, the use in cities makes complete sense although I'd say we may need to rethink how we plan our roadways.

Again, really promising I think.

 

[petros]

It removes the ego and the inability to merge. I like that.

 

[#juan]

In the topic header link it mentions that people and little kids do not show up on radar. There is another aspect that needs mentioning and that is the complete unpredictability of kids. Does the computer controlled car screech to a stop because a lttle kid might run out on the street and thereby causing the following driver to rear end it? To my way of thinking, it might be difficult to have a mixture of self driving and conventional cars on the road.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

How would they drive? They would be 100% reliant on data of a GPS perhaps. And quite frankly I am loathe to take any directions as gospel from a GPS. I would be swimming in a lake on more than one occassion if I followed my GPS directions religiously.

 

[Zipperfish]

Hey Jetsons, where's my frikkin robot maid???!!!

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Hey Jetsons, where's my frikkin robot maid???!!!

On the market now. It's called the Roomba.

 

[#juan]

Here is a link to a video of a self driving car.....interesting...

Self-Driving Car Test: Steve Mahan - YouTube

 

[petros]

In the topic header link it mentions that people and little kids do not show up on radar. There is another aspect that needs mentioning and that is the complete unpredictability of kids. Does the computer controlled car screech to a stop because a lttle kid might run out on the street and thereby causing the following driver to rear end it? To my way of thinking, it might be difficult to have a mixture of self driving and conventional cars on the road.

A autonomous car following wouldn't rear end.

 

[karrie]

I think they'll be brilliant once all the proximity detectors are figured out properly, and car to car communication can simply line you all up in a row, synch your speeds, and zip you along the highway to your destination. I've lost too many people to driver error. While there are a few scenarios I can imagine an automated car losing control in, I highly doubt it would happen anywhere near as often as it happens with people. Plus, I've driven to Saskatchewan enough times to really wish I could just leave at night, curl up for a sleep, and wake up at my sister's house.

 

[Zipperfish]

Plus, I've driven to Saskatchewan enough times to really wish I could just leave at night, curl up for a sleep, and wake up at my sister's house.

In Saskatchewan, you can. :lol:

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

As an attorney, I have to strongly oppose this idea. If people aren't allowed to act like flaming idiots and then pay big bucks to avoide the consequences of their actions, our livelihoods will be threatened.

 

[petros]

How would they drive? They would be 100% reliant on data of a GPS perhaps. And quite frankly I am loathe to take any directions as gospel from a GPS. I would be swimming in a lake on more than one occassion if I followed my GPS directions religiously.

GPS is pretty damn accurate. To within an mm with some gear. Check out agricultural seeding systems that use GPS and radar. It's more than just perfect rows. Seed and fertilizer are set to the mm in depth and spacing going over rough land and contours on a 60-80ft seeding system going 25km/h. I don't drive a tractor I monitor systems and go along for the ride. It won't be long before it's all done from a desk.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

GPS is pretty damn accurate. To within an mm with some gear. Check out agricultural seeding systems that use GPS and radar. It's more than just perfect rows. Seed and fertilizer are set to the mm in depth and spacing going over rough land and contours on a 60-80ft seeding system going 25km/h. I don't drive a tractor I monitor systems and go along for the ride. It won't be long before it's all done from a desk.

I don't think the actual positioning was the issue with the GPS. It was the accuracy of the map it was using. In a field with a tractor, you are only using the positioning part which I agree is pretty accurate. But the maps leave much to be desired.

Another thought. If you were in this type of car, there would be no reason for you to follow a speed limit at all. You just have to go no faster than the reaction time required of the software. Stated reasons for not speeding (driver safety) no longer would apply.