"I would be honored to change your diaper." 
I would like to know more.
Posted on 01/12/2018 4:36:18 PM PST by equaviator
Today, GM unveiled the first image of its upcoming autonomous fourth-generation Bolt EV-based vehicle – the “first without a steering wheel or pedal.”
The automaker also says that it filed a petition asking the DOT permission to deploy the vehicle as soon as next year.
The move represents an accelerated self-driving timeline for the company, which could potentially leapfrog most other companies working on the technology since the most common timeline is a commercial launch in 2020-2022.
The vehicle would represent the next generation of Cruise AV autonomous car based on the Bolt EV.
In June, GM announced the completion of the first batch of 130 Chevy Bolt EV autonomous prototypes at its Orion Assembly Plant located in Orion Township, Michigan...They are already using part of their fleet to carry Cruise employees “anywhere in San Francisco using their app” – an early version of the service they plan to offer to the public someday.
Although GM claims to be the 1st without a steering wheel or pedal, Google has demonstrated pedal-less, steeringwheel-less autonomous vehicles first as part of its Google X labs in 2014 and now part of its Waymo spinoff. Google has since added back steering wheels to its own vehicles and *steered* the organization to more as add-ons to existing vehicles, especially Lexus crossovers and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids.
A few months later, they claimed to be ready to “mass produce” self-driving Chevy Bolt EVs and they announced an expansion of the test fleet to New York...In order to plead their case for the safety of their vehicle and submit their petition for the permission to deploy the vehicle, GM released a new “2018 Self-Driving Safety Report”.
The report explains the various passive and active safety features of the vehicle as well as all the redundant hardware.
Considering the season, I’d like to see if one of these self-drivers can distinguish between a shallow puddle and an 8-inch deep pothole filled with water.
I’d like to see how these self-drivers negotiate tricky construction zones, whether they obey hand signals or signs held by workers? And for that matter, how well do they deal with cops directing traffic?
Can they deal with an out-of-commission stop light? Debris on the road?
How much do they depend on painted markings on the roads, which are often in poor condition or non-existent?
In an autonomous car, can you have open liquor?
The car is used in abank robbery. Who drives the get-away car?
I’m sorry Dave...I can’t let you do that.
I’m with you. Let’s see self driving trains first, then we’ll talk.
Whatever it is now...is all that it is, and it might not even be all of that.
It will only take you where “whoever is controlling it” wants you to go...
Impossible. They will be programmed to never speed. And just think how these "road nannies" will gum up traffic on the interstates.
But as for cops pulling them over, there will be a way for the cop to electronically command the car to pull over. Regulations to require connectivity between nearby cars are already in the works. That will provide the mechanism.
This would be the second to last thing I would invest in.
"I would be honored to change your diaper." I would like to know more.
I am NOT looking forward to standing in line with a bunch of Bolts at the DPS to renew my driver’s license. (Some of the dolts that are there now are bad enough)
And if they lose gps data link data.... and its snowing hard,....and there’s ice....at night.....
Not really. I am a dyed in the wool car nut. With over 50 cars registered to me in my life, and currently in possession of a modified Corvette Z06, a hot rod 1970 Opel GT and 4 other rides, I would love one of these.
As a sales rep on the road it would be awesome to program my car to go somewhere then sit back and have an office day along the way. It wont be the end of automotive fun, as a guy who averages 250 miles a day for work it would give me hours to be more productive, or have leisureish time.
Remember, GM is the company that knowingly let innocent people go to prison as they covered up their criminal wrongdoing. Every senior Exec at GM should have gotten a nice long prison term.
Stop injecting information to the yestertech fishbowl lol.
Who will be responsible when one of these self driving cars runs into a school bus?
Who are those guys at Best Buy again?...They drive around in VW Bugs...I haven’t seen them around here in these parts in a coon’s age!
Let me know if you ever decide to part with that one. Bought a '73 off the floor and have been looking for a salvageable restore. Most of the ones I have found are either too far gone, way over priced, or both.
The change would be gradual enough if it extended into the 23rd century.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.