Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why Driverless Cars Will Screech to a Halt
Observer ^ | 2/9/2016 | Steven Hill

Posted on 02/09/2016 8:52:56 AM PST by PreciousLiberty

Elon Musk's Tesla recently became the latest big shot company to enter the self-driving car sweepstakes. Mr. Musk recently announced the hiring of software architecture veteran Jim Keller, who previously had played key roles at Apple and AMD, to lead its Autopilot Engineering team. Teslas move follows the recently announced partnership between General Motors and Lyft, in which the automaker is investing $500 million in the ridesharing company as part of a joint venture to develop self-driving cars.

And of course Google, Uber, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Apple, Audi, Bosch and Delphi Automotive (the big auto parts manufacturer) all have their own much-hyped development programs for autonomous vehicles in full swing. Forget cures for cancer, climate change or world peace, the media has made it clear that self-driving cars will be the Next Great Step in civilizations drive toward magnificence.

It's time to hit the brakes for a reality check.

Despite how much Uber CEO Travis Kalanick likes to crow about our "driverless future," outside of The Jetsons this one is...not...happening...soon. Besides the remaining technological challenges, the liability and regulatory issues involved in letting a 3,000-pound death machine steer itself with no human at the controls are huge.

(Excerpt) Read more at observer.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: autos; cars; driverless; selfdriving
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-162 next last
To: discostu

You obviously don’t live in the country. Nobody does the posted, nobody.


101 posted on 02/09/2016 12:02:34 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]

To: discostu
It doesn't need to figure out why the driver of the vehicle is running the stop sign, it just notices that the vehicle is moving therefore your vehicle shouldn't.

Thank you for admitting that AI cannot ANTICIPATE like a human being can.

That anticipation is the difference between knowing when to hit the gas to AVOID an accident and when to hit the brakes to avoid an accident.

For example, in the article I linked above, an AI driven vehicle was rear-ended by a human driver. If AI was so smart and so adaptable, why didn't it hit the gas and move the vehicle out of the way to keep its occupant safe?

Because it couldn't ANTICIPATE like a human being, that's why.

102 posted on 02/09/2016 12:04:54 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]

To: discostu

Freepers are more affluent than the average American and it shows in the ridiculous comments I see. When you are young and starting out you end up needing a car that does one thing, starts up and runs. You don’t need to drive a space shuttle to get you to work and school.


103 posted on 02/09/2016 12:05:32 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

Why in the heck would I get in a car that isn’t going to take me where I want to go?


104 posted on 02/09/2016 12:07:01 PM PST by cornfedcowboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: discostu
People on public transit already do that.

Because they're assured that a HUMAN BEING is ultimately in control of the bus or train that they're on.

105 posted on 02/09/2016 12:07:12 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]

To: cornfedcowboy
You tell me, you're the one advocating for AI taking you where ever you want to go ... at least until that same AI decides on its own that it's not going to take you where you want to go......
106 posted on 02/09/2016 12:08:48 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

Two things:
1. you and I have very similar driving history.
2. I’m not advocating abolishing human controlled vehicles. However, it’s pretty obvious that it will be the natural course of things. And people will probably embrace it.

Oh. A third thing. The “tool” is making life saving decisions at speeds neither of us have the capacity to do.


107 posted on 02/09/2016 12:10:10 PM PST by cuban leaf (The US will not survive the obama presidency. The world may not either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: central_va

What we are is people that know driving is mostly monotonous. And as we get older it’s harder. I can no longer go up to Phoenix for a concert without a hotel room, too old too tired, can’t handle the two hours of driving on both sides of the show. Last time I did it I spent the last half hour of the drive home desperately fighting fatigue and road hypnosis and fatigue, then I had nightmares about it for days after. Give me a self driving car and Phoenix concerts are back in play, I can sleep on the way home AND arrive safely. Heck I could do weekday concerts and not even be short on sleep the next day at work.

Only anybody here that’s lost their mind is you. The rest of us are seeing a clearly beneficial emerging technology. It will reduce accident, improve our freedom of movement, and make one of the most boring parts of our day a time we can enjoy.


108 posted on 02/09/2016 12:11:53 PM PST by discostu (This is a different kind of flying... all together.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

My kids will hunt down the car and rip its battery out.


109 posted on 02/09/2016 12:15:04 PM PST by cornfedcowboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 106 | View Replies]

To: fuzzylogic

Hi! I was born in Detroit, but live in the country now and work in a small Midwest town with a large electronics assembly plant. That’s why I warn people that this is not some far-off thing - I’m in factory, not some prototype engineering lab. (And as such, I’m not really familiar with the tools you mention, except by vague rumor ;-)

So you know when I’m involved, products will be rolling off the assembly lines soon. Ready or not, society...


110 posted on 02/09/2016 12:17:17 PM PST by Another Post-American (Jesus died for your sins.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: discostu
Making transportation more complex is not helping to make it more affordable. I am a do it yourselfer. The more I can do myself the better.

If driving two hours is too strenuous then I feel bad for you. I wish you the best. Having said that I am not in favor of turning cars into hi tech fighter air craft. It is over kill and stupid.

111 posted on 02/09/2016 12:20:08 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: cornfedcowboy
My kids will hunt down the car and rip its battery out.

LOL! Still have your sense of humor about it, well played!

112 posted on 02/09/2016 12:20:48 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 109 | View Replies]

To: cuban leaf
Oh. A third thing. The 'tool' is making life saving decisions at speeds neither of us have the capacity to do.

Clearly that's not true. I've been driving almost 40 years. That's before anti-lock brakes, air-bags (and even seat belts when I was younger!) vehicle stability control, throttle control, all wheel drive/four wheel drive and every other 'safety' feature cars come with these days.

I was making those 'life saving' decisions when it was just me, a steering wheel, a gas pedal and a brake pedal being all there was between me, the road, and other drivers. I did ok, I didn't hurt anyone else.

The thing is, the more we depend on technology to "keep us safe" the dumber we become and the lack of human intelligence and critical thinking skills in this country really bothers me. I damn' sure don't want my vehicle treating me like I'm stupid.

Just my .02 and I've enjoyed our discourse. :-)

113 posted on 02/09/2016 12:27:44 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

I have two words to counter your one word:
STRAW MAN.

And yes you are a luddite. It’s not name calling to point out that the person vehemently shouting against the evils of technology is quoting an old failed point of view on life. Everything that has built your comfortable life was protested against with the same arguments you’re using now. They were wrong then, you’re wrong now.


114 posted on 02/09/2016 12:29:36 PM PST by discostu (This is a different kind of flying... all together.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

You and I have a brake pedal. The computer in traction control brakes each wheel individually, depending on its particular slippage.

I don’t want four brake pedals. ;-)


115 posted on 02/09/2016 12:31:17 PM PST by cuban leaf (The US will not survive the obama presidency. The world may not either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 113 | View Replies]

To: central_va

I live in wide open Tucson, nobody does the posted here. But when we’re not driving anymore people won’t be worried about it. And in the long run, with the smarter driving, and better flow, we’ll get to our destinations faster. And catch up on our reading.


116 posted on 02/09/2016 12:31:25 PM PST by discostu (This is a different kind of flying... all together.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

On a side note, check out the automation in the new NSX.


117 posted on 02/09/2016 12:32:21 PM PST by cuban leaf (The US will not survive the obama presidency. The world may not either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 113 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

That’s not what I said. They will anticipate BETTER, because they’ll be focused on the important part: the movements of the vehicles and avoiding the accident. Every time you think “what is that idiot doing” you’re distracting yourself from avoiding the accident, the AI won’t have that distraction.

Most people don’t accelerate away from a rearender. And with good reason, often times that’s just volunteering yourself for a worse accident. Your chances of walking away are much higher getting rearended than t-boned.


118 posted on 02/09/2016 12:34:08 PM PST by discostu (This is a different kind of flying... all together.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: central_va

Cars that last longer with less maintenance do that one thing much better.


119 posted on 02/09/2016 12:35:02 PM PST by discostu (This is a different kind of flying... all together.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: usconservative

Except of course many of the trains are NOT controlled by human beings.


120 posted on 02/09/2016 12:35:38 PM PST by discostu (This is a different kind of flying... all together.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-162 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson