Self driving cars

[Hurlshort]

This was briefly mentioned in another thread, and I wanted to discuss it more.  Frankly, I'm tired of my long commute, I'm tired of sitting in traffic, and I'm ready to give up driving.  Even if it was just automated on the freeway, it would go a huge way towards dropping the 30,000 deaths in the US that happen every year in cars.  Here is a fun article from someone with experience.  I see self driving cars fairly regularly where I live, actually, although most of them are Priuses and those Lexus small SUV's.

 

http://theoatmeal.com/blog/google_self_driving_car

[HoonDing]

Now no more ragging on woman drivers, but on woman programmers?

[Keyrock]

I'm in.  I've been taking the bus to and from work for the last few months, despite having a perfectly functional car, because it saves me money, and also because I get to take a nap on the way home from work.  Naps are awesome.  I unfortunately still need to drive my car for some things occasionally and thus must stay awake for those trips.  Staying awake sucks, I'm down for more nap time.

[Humanoid]

Unfortunately practical concerns mean I'm unlikely to benefit even if fully automated cars become a thing (as opposed to what's essentially increasing levels of cruise control). No car, no licence, never driven in my life: I'm just the kind of person who would stand to gain the most benefit out of this kind of thing. In implementation however, the self-driving car is really just a convenience for people who are already fully capable of driving due to legislative concerns, since I have little doubt that I'd still be required to learn how to drive and have a full licence before I could own an automatic car. Sure, in my case it's purely out of personal choice not to drive, but the same limitations will be faced by people who are physically incapable of driving a conventional vehicle.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can see why any government would not want vehicles with no manual fallback (i.e. a qualified driver with manual controls) out on the streets, but as a result I just can't see the real benefits of automatic cars ever being fulfilled in my lifetime. It's probably an all-or-nothing kind of affair, where full automation would only ever happen if every vehicle on the streets was automated and all were networked together. Manual cars would be banned on public roads, and only used for leisure purposes on private racetracks and such.

[Valsuelm]

The guy who wrote that article is an idiot. Starting right off with his first sentence he's getting it wrong and proves he is too lazy to or incapable or correctly reading the very data he is citing, and not surprisingly after that grand opening of stupidity goes on to show how little he thinks by basically just writing an advertisement for self driving cars, though perhaps that's intentional. In all the years cited, no year had less than 32,000 people die, and most years were thousands more than number. This guy isn't ready for marshmallows, he's got marshmallows between his ears, and is looking forward to his further enslavement. [interestingly the NHTSA data and the CDC data I linked in another thread don't jive with one another; of course some of the NHTSA data is just plain made up, ie: total number of miles driven, and the other data extrapolated from that number]

 

Robot driven cars present more problems than they solve. I'll mention just one that I'll wager most of the folks here haven't considered: the more computerized the car the more it's hackable. Modern non-robot cars have already been hacked, and some have theorized already used as a manner to kill people, ie: Michael Hastings.

 

Though there is no known case that I've seen where this has definitely happened yet, it's probably one of the best ways to kill someone if you're so inclined to right now as the majority of those who investigate accidents won't even think to look for evidence of a hack, let alone be capable of determining for certain if a hack occurred even if they suspect one.

 

If you're too lazy to drive or have a burning need to be doing something other than driving yourself during your commute, take the train, bus, plane, carpool, taxi, etc. Keep your Orwellian (oh you probably didn't consider that aspect either) autos off the roads I drive please.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Valsuelm

[samm]

If you're too lazy to drive, take the train, bus, plane, carpool, taxi, etc. 

Right, people not driving cars are doing what they're doing because they're lazy. Speaking of "getting it wrong"...

 

However, I completely agree on the point of the Orwellian aspect of it all: Modern cars are way too connected with their manufacturing corporation as well as anyone able to tap into that connection. It is not a necessary part of autonomous driving of course, but the higher the electronic parts are developed, the more surveillance is included as well. It's a trend in every kind of device that I find horrifying to the extreme because it's quite impossible to not be connected. Even completely offline electronic devices such as a PC without WLAN and no other means of internet connection is subject to the effort of "bridging the air gap" as I've heard "security" people involved in component's development call it.

Edited January 1, 2015 by samm

[Blarghagh]

Well, if we're getting self-driving cars I want self-shooting guns!

[Valsuelm]

 

If you're too lazy to drive, take the train, bus, plane, carpool, taxi, etc. 

Right, people not driving cars are doing what they're doing because they're lazy. Speaking of "getting it wrong"...

 

Touché and my bad. I corrected my oversight. It was a response to two people saying they were 'tired' and wanted to 'nap', so I mistakenly didn't include the better reasons one may not want to drive in my response.

[Valsuelm]

Well, if we're getting self-driving cars I want self-shooting guns!

 

Those have existed pretty much since motion detectors were invented.

[Blarghagh]

Did that really warrant a serious response?

[Hurlshort]

 

 

If you're too lazy to drive, take the train, bus, plane, carpool, taxi, etc. 

Right, people not driving cars are doing what they're doing because they're lazy. Speaking of "getting it wrong"...

 

Touché and my bad. I corrected my oversight. It was a response to two people saying they were 'tired' and wanted to 'nap', so I mistakenly didn't include the better reasons one may not want to drive in my response.

 

 

All of your options are fairly limited.  Trains need tracks, buses are limited to routes (It would take me about 3 hours to take a bus to my job), someone still has to drive the carpool (which is me with my wife and two kids), and taxi's are hardly affordable for a lengthy commute.  

 

The whole hacker argument is overblown.  As you already pointed out, our cars are already highly computerized.  It would make a lot more sense to invest in creating stronger security than expect us to go backwards in time.  Also how many deaths are going to be caused by these hacks, compared to the 30,000+ that get killed every year in the US?

 

 

 

Realistically, I'd be happy if they just automated freeway driving.  I fail to see why we need control to drive one direction at a decent rate of speed.  You pull up to the freeway meter light, your automated driving kicks in, you select the exit you want to get off on.  It would likely smooth out a lot of the gridlock, and I'm guessing a large percentage of auto deaths take place on the freeways.

 

edit:  Feel free to drop the enslavement hyperbole and have a rational discussion.  You've been around long enough, you don't have to prove anything here.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Hurlshot

[Woldan]

I don't like the idea at all, I try to avoid most things that are automated, I'm mostly a low-tech person. I trust in myself more than in technology who tries to replace me, especially when a technical breakdown can kill me. I prefer manual over automatic transmission, I prefer reading a physical map instead GPS, I prefer my foot over TC and most driving aids, I prefer to drive instead of sitting in a remote controlled car. 

Maybe I'll change my mind when I'm 80, but I like the way it is right now, thankyouverymuch. 

Edited January 1, 2015 by Woldan

[LadyCrimson]

The commute problem in US (metropolitan US anyway, West especially imo) is that most of our public transportation access sucks balls - always has, and it definitely can't keep up with city/area population flooding and ever increasing commute distances as housing is built and purchased farther and farther away from main work areas.

That said ... I wouldn't personally want automated individual cars. I'm too much of a control freak when it comes to driving and I'm not sure I'd trust such a thing - more importantly, I'm not sure I'd trust what humans would be like/do if that became some kind of norm. Maybe nothing...maybe everything. Who can tell....

[Walsingham]

I use a car I don't have to drive.

 

It's called a taxi.

 

Moreover, the taxi drivers - for an incredibly modest additional sum - fill me in on all the rumours and scandal in the area.

[Gfted1]

I have a pita commute so self driving cars would be heaven to me. Kick back, rest my eyes for the ~45 minute ride, no a-hole drivers...sign me up!

[Malcador]

The whole hacker argument is overblown.  As you already pointed out, our cars are already highly computerized.  It would make a lot more sense to invest in creating stronger security than expect us to go backwards in time.  Also how many deaths are going to be caused by these hacks, compared to the 30,000+ that get killed every year in the US?

Heh, don't count on that. Companies get hacked and don't really ramp up their security. It's still something be aware of, I assume the vehicles have some manual override anyway.

[Woldan]

The whole hacker argument is overblown.  As you already pointed out, our cars are already highly computerized.  It would make a lot more sense to invest in creating stronger security than expect us to go backwards in time.  Also how many deaths are going to be caused by these hacks, compared to the 30,000+ that get killed every year in the US?

If I can hack the electronic steerage of your and a hundred other cars of the same type you're not going to have a good time.

 

I'm not talking about going back in time, I think technology should serve and support but not completely replace.

[Nonek]

I can't speak for you other gentlemen and ladies but the idea of self driven cars makes my alcoholism flare, one could finally indulge as one wishes and I assume that there would be a lockout for the too inebriated. "I can't let you do that Dave!" Or some such.

 

On second thoughts probably a bad idea.

[Serrano]

Now no more ragging on woman drivers, but on woman programmers?

But with the Ballmer Peak alchohol related traffic accidents would skyrocket.

[Hurlshort]

This is pretty fancy!

 

http://www.slashgear.com/i-hitched-a-ride-in-mercedes-f-015-self-driving-car-19374303/

 

I have about 20 years left of work, and the idea of slogging through traffic for all of those is daunting.  I'm hoping to see some decent implementation of these cars within the next decade.

 

[Amentep]

In some ways, I think large scale adoption of self-driving cars are inevitable (whether they're good or not is almost beside the point).  Too many people will see the benefit and believe the risk is acceptable.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Amentep

[Hurlshort]

I'd be happy if they can just turn freeways into automated roadways.  The majority of my commute is spent stopping and going in a straight line, surrounded by others, as we inch by fender benders and pulled over carpool cheaters.  It is slowly killing me.

[ShadySands]

As someone who likes being driven around but can't afford a driver I am all for this

[Malcador]

Hopefully they allow for a manual override for failures (and people needing licenses for it). I wonder why they never make re-testing for licenses so people get the rules.

[Gfted1]

I wonder why they never make re-testing for licenses so people get the rules.

Here in Illinois we have to renew our drivers licenses every four years and that includes a written test on the rules.

 

Elon Musk believes non-self-driving cars may one day be outlawed.