Why Driverless Cars Will Screech to a Halt

Observer ^ | 2/9/2016 | Steven Hill

[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.

[discostu]

You don’t have to get GPS, you don’t have to get traction control, you don’t have to get an automatic, you don’t have to get a rearview camera, you don’t have to get DVD players, you don’t have to get wifi...

[chaosagent]

My second point is that nothing matches (a properly trained) human brain in terms of being able to anticipate and react to all the different variables that one comes across while driving. Again, we're imperfect but its our ability to anticipate and then react which sets us apart from anything AI can do.

---

I find it hilarious that you think anything more than a very small percentage of drivers are 'properly trained'.

When I've see drivers reading, texting, putting on makeup (farding), or with a coffee in one hand and a sandwich in the other, driving with their knees, I don't really have a problem with a computer taking over for them.

When I see people on the Interstate driving 45 mph in the fast lane with 75 mph traffic around them, and their left blinker on, I don't really have a problem with a computer taking over for them.

When I see drivers in the far left lane cut across 5 lanes of traffic to make an exit, I don't really have a problem with a computer taking over for them.

Do you really think that if AI cars took over tomorrow, the accident rate wouldn't drop precipitously?

Personally, a long time ago, I took both the Basic and Advanced Racing Courses at the Bob Bondurant School and have raced SCCA at 140 mph, so even at 67 I'm pretty confident of my abilities. My last accident was in 1994 when a guy tried to run me off the Atchafalaya River Bridge on I-10 in LA. But I'm not most people.

My wife and I retired early and for the last 9 years have traveled the US in our RV motorcoach. Being up high you wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen 'properly trained' drivers do.

In fact, I for one, would welcome our AI car overlords.

Just be sure there's always an 'OFF' button.