Posted on 03/11/2013 10:44:24 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Google is working on a technology that, if perfected, would prevent about 35,000 deaths per year in the United States and 1.2 million deaths per year worldwide.
To put that number in context: About 23,000 American men and women will die of leukemia in 2012, according to the National Cancer Institute.
But while the technology Google is working on isn't the cure for cancer, it's pretty impressive.
What is it?
Self-driving cars.
According to the U.S. census, 33,808 people died in car crashes in the U.S. in 2009 — 37,423 in 2008. According to the World Health Organization, 1.2 million people die in car crashes around the world each year.
A source familiar with Google's self-driving car program tells us that one of its primary goals is to eliminate the ~99 percent of those deaths that are caused by "human error."
That's obviously a lofty goal.
It's certainly admirable … but is it achievable?
There are some data points to consider before answering that question.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
In 2011, about 7,000 of the approximately 35,000 car accident deaths in the U.S. took place at intersections. Still: Google’s cars would almost immediately cease the more than 3,000 deaths each year due to distracted highway driving.
ONE QUESTION: If an accident were to occur, WHO IS LIABLE TO PAY? Google? Or the non-driver?
And you think Toyota, and Audi had problems with “sudden acceleration”
Let’s ask fighter pilots if removing the pilot from the fighter jet is a good idea?
If it runs on Windows, I’m walking!
liability nightmare...
Just say'n.
Cars don’t tend to do much dogfighting. Fact is for most of the “peaceful” parts of a flight fighter pilots are using the autopilot. So their answer would probably be “as long as nobody is shooting at you”.
I see you don't drive much in California city/freeway traffic.
Already invented a very similar product.
It’s called a train.
With advancing air defense technology and the ever greater Gs aircraft and missiles are capable of pulling, I think the handwriting is pretty much on the wall for in-aircraft combat pilots.
DDT would save a lot more.
RE: It’s called a train.
How good is it if somebody were to accidentally fall on the track like what happens in the NYC subways?
I think I would rather be neutered than have my car drive me around, talk about handing over your Man Card.
Love to see how it handles a blizzard also.
That will just about offset the number who die annually at the hands of Obama’s death panels.....
Sign me up.
Let’s suppose it all works fine and is implemented. Is anyone worried about a hacker attack?
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