Posted on 07/18/2015 6:28:18 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Google's self-driving cars have got into quite a few accidents, but they've been caused by human-driven cars crashing into them, not the other way around.
"Our self-driving cars are being hit surprisingly often by other drivers who are distracted and not paying attention to the road," head of Google's driverless car program Chris Urmson wrote in a blog post Thursday.
He describes an incident in which a human-driven car (can you imagine: In a few years we may have to indicate that a car is human-driven more often than not) slammed into the back of Google's self-driving Lexus.
Google's car, explains Urmson, stopped (together with two human-driven cars in front) at a green light to avoid being stuck at the middle of an intersection due to heavy traffic ahead — just like a human would.
However, the human-driven car behind just kept going, hitting the Google car at 17 mph. The human in it did not hit the brakes at all, probably due to distraction. You can see the incident in Google's video, below.
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO...
(Excerpt) Read more at mashable.com ...
If they can’t drive defensively its their fault.
“may have to indicate that a car is human-driven”
faaaa - for how many years have we been reading headlines like: SUV crashs into a crowd of children ...
Sounds like an excuse from a teenage driver.
Unexpected.
What in the example was not defensive diving?
I guess I’m not surprised. It drives me crazy when I’m on the highway and glance in the rearview mirror only to see the driver behind me looking at their damn phone!
When I’m driving in heavy traffic and have to stop suddenly, my first reaction (trained, not natural) is to look into the rear view mirror. I will often have to adjust my braking and path, depending on what’s happening behind me. This sometimes means heading for the ditch. I wonder if the Google algorithm includes driving off the road?
Who stops at a green light?
Nothing in this example they specifically chose but more often than not, defensive driving prevents accidents. In fact, this is a case of the human driver not practicing defensive driving.
What happens if the driverless car with the right of way gets hit by a car that didn’t stop? Obviously it would be the fault of the car that didn’t stop but its an accident that is routinely avoided by human intuition every day.
Google/Liberals - It’s never our fault!
Who stops at a green light?
...
I think the article and video explain that.
If the road ahead of you is blocked and you don’t want to enter the intersection and, “block the box” you stop at a green light. If you are turning left and there is oncoming traffic but, you have a green light, you stop.
Artificial intelligence, in a world of diminishing intelligence, will be very problematic.
Sounds like Google needs to upload the defensive driving service pack.
It could be that a machine driven car doesn’t give the same subtle clues as a human driven car.
That’s what 90% of driving is all about - watching out for the idiots on the road.
I smell Bullsh*t.
Be right or be dead.
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