Posted on 05/16/2015 6:22:18 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Here’s something that irks Chris Urmson: Sometimes people will get in self-driving cars, the spectacularly complex piece of technology he runs at Google and to which he has devoted most of his scientific career, and leave with a shrug.
Once, Urmson was riding in one of Google’s Lexus SUVs down a freeway. Several minutes in, his fellow passenger turned to him, nonplussed.
“That’s it?”
Urmson, recalling the story on Google’s Mountain View campus earlier this week, threw up his hands: “Do you have any idea how hard this is?!”
Soon, there may be many more blasé reactions to one of Google’s most audacious moonshots. On Friday, the Internet giant announced that the first autonomous vehicle it has manufactured — a squat two-seater, unveiled a year ago, with no steering wheel or brakes — will begin rolling out on public roads in northern California this summer. Urmson and his team have assembled 25 of the cars, which, for now, are just called “prototypes.” (Re/code has dubbed them “clown cars”; Google may be more partial to the “Koala car” nomenclature.) When they hit the roads, they will not exceed 25 miles per hour. And, due to current state regulations, they must be equipped with brakes, an accelerator pedal and a steering wheel.
But ultimately, Google wants to strip those out.
The company’s stated goal is shepherding fleets of vehicles that can drive with no need for human intervention, a bid to curtail the time wasted in traffic and aide those unable to drive. “At that point, the steering wheel and brake pedal just don’t add value,” Urmson said during the demonstration at the new Google X headquarters in Mountain View.
(Excerpt) Read more at recode.net ...
No thanks google, I will stick to driving.
Driving requires intuition.
I’m very impressed by the technology, but...
no, thank you.
Among other things like good judgement.
Sometimes, maybe often, I just wish I was born in the mid 1800s.
If you have stock in Google I suggest you sell it, b/c once the accidents start the price will drop....
Driving requires common sense, an understanding of human nature (within your culture) and a basic knowledge of physics.
Unfortunately, "In 2010, there were an estimated 5,419,000 crashes (30,296 fatal crashes), killing 32,999 and injuring 2,239,000."
This is a strong indication that the above listed requisites are lacking in a large portion of the population.
If a google car is at a light and it turns green, does the google car just go because the light is green or does it acknowledge the semi coming from the side, unable to stop?
Right of way doesn’t always mean the right or safe way.
I have to agree. Another downside I see is that some people don't even look where they are walking due to their 100% attention to their cell phone. I actually tell people who are going to run into me to "look up". Imagine that type of person in a car. Then there is that "big brother" thing too - Google will be way too powerful and in the hip pocket of the RAT govt.
And how does it handle idiots on the street nowhere near a crosswalk or looking where they’re going.
Self valeting cars seem to be a good idea. Or for a brief shop stop in a crowded area, the car could just drive around until recalled if it can’t find a place to park.
Exactly, and I always explain that to the wife and kids.
Just because a light or an automated device says something is safe, you don’t just assume it is. You always look regardless.
Yutes will have fun standing in front of these should a vehicle try to drive through the 'hood.
snip-
“But when my car turned to face the unexpected gaggle of press surrounding Brin, it jolted to a halt. Then lurched ahead like a nervous 16-year-old. The car is not accustomed to large gatherings of people in open spaces, Dolgov explained.”
So it would be useless during a zombie attack or a riot.
Whatever happened to the no brake pedal or steering wheel version not being allowed in Calif? Google use it’s political juice to overide that one?
Then there are those potential problems that a person should recognize.
Yesterday I was coming up on a group of teenagers with young children who were walking on the sidewalk. Being teenagers they naturally weren’t paying any attention to the little kids who were playing balance beam on the curb right next to the street. Sure enough I saw one of the little ones stumble about 3 feet out into the lane.
Fortunately I had slowed down and was planning on laying on the horn to chase them back up onto the sidewalk.
P.O.’d POLICE nobody to give the ticket to.
Yes, being able to anticipate something as well.
Well, you and I will keep driving, to hell with what google thinks.
Terrorist dreams. How long until someone figures out how to load one up with explosives and program it for drive to a target? This is so stupid! Driverless cars should not be allowed for so many reasons, including this.
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