Self-driving cars will have to pry the steering wheel from our cold, dead hands, poll says

Verge ^ | Sep 28, 2016 | Andrew J . Hawkins

[aquila48]

Americans like the idea of self-driving cars, but are less willing to cede control of the steering wheel to a computer program, according to a new poll released today. An overwhelming majority, 80 percent, said humans should always have the option to drive themselves, while 64 percent expressed a need to be in control of their own vehicle.

Moreover, people are essentially torn between the promise of safety and the need for control: 49 percent said they prefer a safer roadway even if it means they would have less control over their vehicle, while 51 percent said wanted to stay in the driver seat, safer streets be damned.

Opinions like these will become increasingly relevant as self-driving cars become more mainstream. Right now, they are floating in limbo between hype and skepticism. Uber is offering a handful of Pittsburgh residents free rides in its self-driving cars. Ford, BMW, and Volvo say they plan to offer autonomous vehicles for sale within the next five years. But most experts predict that widespread adoption is still a decade or more away.

The idea of fully autonomous cars, with no steering wheel, no pedals, and no way for a human to intervene, is also something most Americans are unwilling to embrace. One-third of respondents to the poll said they would never buy a Level 5 autonomous vehicle, where there is no option for human control, while 16 percent said they would buy one the moment they were available.

In fact, most people haven’t even heard of “autonomous vehicles,” as compared to the more easily defined “self-driving car,” the poll shows. “This is good, because we live in our own little world, where the word ‘autonomous’ is this word that everyone knows,” said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book,

[FreeperCell]

We will take these cars. and hit them with a metal pipe

[Glad2bnuts]

The insurance rates for someone to drive your own car will be thousands of dollars per month. Self driving cars will only allow passengers to travel where permitted. The rich, will have chaffeurs and live where we proles will never see.

[Olog-hai]

Americans like the idea of self-driving cars, but are less willing to cede control of the steering wheel to a computer program …

Self-contradictory much?

[Moonman62]

If self driving cars end up costing a lot less money people will get used to them.

Polls don’t mean much now because the technology isn’t ready yet.

[Secret Agent Man]

Not if they kill a bunch of people they are driving.

[vpintheak]

Never fear. Enough politicians will have their wheels greased, and it will be made into law that only self driving cars will be allowed. It’s for the safety of our children, that will require us to forfeit our own driving ability. You see, it’s all about the children. Do you hate children?

[ryderann]

I can understand using self-drive in the same way we use speed-control...out on the open highway, and not in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

[JustaTech]

The reason they want all driverless vehicles as soon as possible is because that’s how they enforce their “Do Not Travel” list. If you’re on the list, your networked driverless car won’t take you anywhere they don’t want you to go, and neither of course will Uber or Lyft.

Would not be surprised if virtually everyone except a privileged few, end up with travel restrictions by default.

You just can’t have every Tom, Dick and Harry flitting around the country willy-nilly without getting official permission and being subject to positive control every moment. (their thinking)

Within a decade or two, the era of people driving themselves anywhere they wanted to go will be considered in the same light as “The Old West” is now. A lawless period when violence and aggression ruled the streets. When movies are made about that time, they will mostly present “Mad Max” types of scenarios.

[cgbg]

There could be many bad things about this technology, but one of the good things would be that the vehicle could have the information to route around traffic during rush hours (and choose the most time efficient route).

This may also be an excellent way for us aging baby boomers to keep our independence in our later years.

I would like to see this as an option—particularly if the insurance and other costs are not excessive.

Also, if we can’t get rid of the TSA airport fascism regime it would make long auto trips easier.

[freepertoo]

I’m probably being silly, but cruise control makes me nervous.

[NoExpectations]

Just yesterday I told my brother a variation of this same scenario. I also foresee a road tax for excess miles traveled. “You have used too many community resources”.

[Alberta's Child]

My industry is heavily involved with the infrastructure aspects of self-driving cars. A professional associate recently identified the biggest flaw of the entire idea, under current legal and technological constraints: People will either rely on automation too little (i.e., they don't have any interest in it, and won't pay a premium to buy cars equipped with automated features) or rely on it too much (as evidenced by that moron who was killed in the Tesla in Florida on "autopilot" that drove into the side of a truck while he was apparently watching a movie or something).

The other challenge is that as vehicles get more automated, automobile insurance (carried by the owner of the vehicle) will become less important than product liability insurance (carried by the manufacturer). Manufacturers will effectively be forced to add more and more dumbed-down features to these vehicles (controlling the speed significantly, for example) that will seriously diminish their value to the user.

[JudgemAll]

Each new gen is preyed upon to give up the skills of the previous one

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I want the interaction of driving myself. Not being driven by an automated car. I must say though, I would LOVE the option to push a button and have the car drive itself. This would be most beneficial if I drank too much and wanted a ride home without having to find some other ride. The car would just take me home. Of course, this is such an infrequent thing and never happens anymore at my age, that it would still be a wonderful OPTION on long drives.

There are times on long drives I get tired or just get eye strain. It would be a GREAT OPTION to push a button and let the car drive itself while I nap or just close my eyes for an hour, knowing I have enough fuel to do so.

I don’t know how these self driving cars are going to monitor the rest of the car’s functions. If you go do sleep on an 8 hour drive, does the car know to wake you when fuel runs low, or do you wake up in a live freeway lane after running out of gas?

[Vision]

These self driving car stories, this entire conversation, is lunacy. And I’m tired of crazy, narcissistic, fool techies claiming what the future will be. We are not slaves to technology, it’s the opposite.

[dblshot]

What’s to stop filling one with explosives and have it drive itself into a target. Or Walmart - whatever.

[USMCPOP]

My Mom drove a stick shift car for over 25 years because she “liked the control”. 65 year old gal driving a 5-speed Accura Legend. :)

I have a hard time driving an automatic, it is just unnatural. I also don’t like self driving horses. I want the damned thing to go where and when I want it to go. Funny, many years ago my Grandpa was stopped by a cop and warned about not wearing a seat belt. He told the cop he didn’t strap himself to a horse either.

[cnsmom]

My mother’s husband is 90 years old and is still driving. His children, which are still on his payroll, won’t take away the keys. I tell my mother not to let him drive her. If this is self driving car is safe, it could be huge for seniors and retirement communities.

[Bluebird Singing]

I never use it! I like being in control, and having to regulate my speed keeps me awake on long trips.