RE: Google's car is go...
Discussion
WHat we are talking about here is an "urban autonomous car" not really any different to a taxi, just better driven! They are not going to replace most conventional cars very soon, but i guess that will happen eventually. A bigger change imo is that we will "Go out" less. We will work from home on our computers, groceries will be delivered etc, and the "need" we currently all have to be 2 car households will diminish. At that point, an autonomous electric taxi sounds like a good idea to me ;-)
Driving "for fun" is an interesting point however, and one that is much more difficult to predict the outcome........
Driving "for fun" is an interesting point however, and one that is much more difficult to predict the outcome........
MonkeyMatt said:
In theory this would only work properly if all the cars on the road where driverless. The vast majority of the general public can't or won't drive properly and would just end up driving into or cutting these up!
This is an interesting point, since the autonomous program must ALWAYS act in the safest fashion, you should be able to cut these things up with impunity! ;-)Max_Torque said:
MonkeyMatt said:
In theory this would only work properly if all the cars on the road where driverless. The vast majority of the general public can't or won't drive properly and would just end up driving into or cutting these up!
This is an interesting point, since the autonomous program must ALWAYS act in the safest fashion, you should be able to cut these things up with impunity! ;-)Pub ride home at the end of the night on JohnnyCab yes please.
Long day in the office need to just chill and not worry about everyone else on the road, take a JohnnyCab.
Weekends want to go for a drive, wheel out from the garage hibernation the noisy bumpy manual fossil burner and head to the hills.
sounds like a good plan to me.
Long day in the office need to just chill and not worry about everyone else on the road, take a JohnnyCab.
Weekends want to go for a drive, wheel out from the garage hibernation the noisy bumpy manual fossil burner and head to the hills.
sounds like a good plan to me.
The Vambo said:
SarGara said:
Unlike everyone else who has commented so far I am far more skeptical of this.
Who's to say in X years time when these are common place and human error is removed from road traffic accidents that the attention of the likes of BRAKE and other organisations doesnt shift to remove all remaining elements of human error from transportation. The end of motor bikes, classic cars etc?
That is a hell of an extrapolation, don't go forward because something bad might happen. Who's to say in X years time when these are common place and human error is removed from road traffic accidents that the attention of the likes of BRAKE and other organisations doesnt shift to remove all remaining elements of human error from transportation. The end of motor bikes, classic cars etc?
Doubt you would have ever left the cave.
In every sci-fi movie I've ever seen with automatic cars there's always a "self drive" mode, which allows a maverick cop to have a massive crash.
So dont worry, we're sorted!
Lowtimer said:
Shaw Tarse said:
So who is responsible if the car drives me 
In the US regulatory model, the intention is that the manufacturer will retain liability. Google's intention is explicitly intended to enable people to use these vehicles for personal transport while drunk, ill, blind, incapacitated, asleep, unlicensed, under-age, or any other condition. Or even absent altogether. In this world the cars will definitely be able to drive around unmanned: e.g. you send it to school empty to pick up the kids, or you send it off by itself for its annual service.Of course most won't be owned, because you don't need to own one if it turns up to collect you at the press of a button on your smartphone: they will be shared on some sort of rental / lease basis, or be used as robot taxis.
The DfT has not really started thinking about this yet which is a mistake: they need to get their skates on.
Hang on a minute, haven't I heard something like this before......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ5CbLnSjo0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ5CbLnSjo0
hmmmmm..... What an excellent idea. Especially coming from a company which has recently invested in companies researching the future of autonomous robotic weapons research.
"Citizens! We have now programmed the Johnny-Cabs to return you immediately to your dwellings due to unrest by terrorists in Quadrant 12. For you own protection, you must now obey the curfew and stay in your homes where we can observe your observance of this instruction,"
"You have 20 seconds to comply,"
SHARE & ENJOY!
Control their movement, control the people...
Catatafish said:
Nearly there, just need the freaky plastic google man...
This is exactly what i thought.These vehicles, made accesible to the public could be a great idea in city centres. with them all working together to ease congestion, rather than stop start, they all slow down by a few mph to maintain a constant flow of traffic, other 'manual' drivers would (could?) maintain the same speed, thus improving traffic flow.
BUT, I feel that the 'smart safety' aspect is where the problems will occur, in the video it looked like the car slowed down near a tree, to the car this could like a pedestrian on the kerb, so it slows down, gets past the tree and speeds up, a driver in a car will see a tree, but not a hazard and will not dab the brakes.
whats worse than driving behind someone when they dab the brakes or slow for no apparent reason.
Interesting prospect for the school run - get it to trundle up to the house, children climb in and off they go right up to the school gates!
I don't think the 25mph maximum speed is going to be a problem. I re-set the computer to zero on our new car when we got it two years ago and average speed over that entire period has been 25 mph
I don't think the 25mph maximum speed is going to be a problem. I re-set the computer to zero on our new car when we got it two years ago and average speed over that entire period has been 25 mph
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