:) at least you’re honest - I get your sentiment.
For the others here, thinking that all the engineers are just idiots who “haven’t thought of this or that”, realize that they will actually consider snow, construction sites, strong side winds, leaves and pigeons, including that jumping kangaroos shouldn’t be mistaken for birds (that was a real fail), etc..
They will use High-Definition maps, accurate within centimeters, that include the tilt of the road, allow for handling out-of-sight upcoming curves, every lane position, etc.. The high precision GPS systems work just fine. Does anyone REALLY think that they’d be used if they weren’t accurate? C’mon. They won’t drink and drive or be distracted by phones. They’ll have 360 degree awareness with arrays of sensors, 100% of the time.
It’s not going to happen as quickly as some have predicted (2021). There’s still lots to do to bring down costs (standard interfaces to sensors/actuators). However, everyone should accept it is GOING to happen AND they will be better than “good” drivers.
Sorry. I know any statement has to insult or denigrate someone. In this case engineers by my anti-driverless vehicle questions. I have been friends with several engineers and my wife’s brother is one. Didn’t mean to claim they blundered into giving us a seat of the pants driverless juggernaut.
One discussion I heard had the pro expert say to the questioning interviewer “Until we have nearly all vehicles talking to each other and intersections and other places updated, we may have to accept there will be some amount of loss of life from crashes in the early years.” (paraphrased). I think when they happen it will shock and upset people.
If memory serves I think I read when the first locomotives pulled trains it was the consensus by learned experts at the time that if a train passed 30 miles per hour the human brain and the body’s blood supply would be pressured beyond capacity and people would be killed.
I saw two different stories that said experimental driverless vehicles boldly drove right through an intersection on a red light. And supposedly such stories are being suppressed (oh boy, a conspiracy promoted here on FR and who could have guessed I’d be the guilty party.) Maybe an out of control drone could crash into such a vehicle delivering Amazon groceries and save us.
Forgive me, please, for being a late adopter Luddite suspicious of the future (despite the fact I used to be a book columnist for two science fiction magazines years ago.)