Driverless cars - will they work - would you go in one?

[M4cruiser]

Supposedly testing now:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23330681

.. but I really can't see them working if there are too many of them. My daily drive really requires human input at so many situations to keep things moving.

I'm also concerned I won't get an "advanced" drive, because the human eye and brain really can "predict" better than a computer.

Perhaps we'll be able to select the "type" of drive before we press go - maybe "advanced", "boy racer", "pensioner", etc?

[Disco You]

Yes. Probably.

M4cruiser said:

Supposedly testing now:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23330681

.. but I really can't see them working if there are too many of them. My daily drive really requires human input at so many situations to keep things moving.

I'm also concerned I won't get an "advanced" drive, because the human eye and brain really can "predict" better than a computer.

Perhaps we'll be able to select the "type" of drive before we press go - maybe "advanced", "boy racer", "pensioner", etc?

It will work better if there are more of them. No it doesn't.
They can, for now. It's only a matter of time before computers can do a better job than a person.
I doubt it.

Edited by Disco You on Sunday 9th February 21:53

[Troubleatmill]

1/ Yes they will. It is a just a matter of time before drivers are redundant.
2/ If you want to go somewhere, you won't have a choice.

I expect at the end of my lifetime for them to be the norm.

[Jasandjules]

No I won't if I can avoid. Heck, I avoid other people driving me, let alone a computer...

[The Vambo]

Hell yeah and I will use my spare time knock one out watching the robots merge in turn properly.

Hmmmm... Zipper style.

[chunoo]

Think it will be a long long time before it becomes the norm.

Can't see them ever stopping you use a driven car. If so, I wonder how that would leave companies like caterham and lotus.

Who the feck would want to go out in a driverless seven?!! Lol Kind of defeats the object doesn't it...

[andy ted]

the test driver in this Mercedes doesn't look like he completely trusts it yet - his hand hovers near the wheel a lot!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AihC5flC-38

[0a]

The good news is that they will never be allowed - it would mean a loss of all speed enforcement revenue, and all speed enforcement officers being sacked. I bet they never get past the police opposition on "safety" grounds...

[kambites]

I'm sure it'll happen, although it's hard to say when. I'd happily go in one but I wouldn't want to own one unless I spent half my life on the motorway.

[DukeDickson]

0a said:

The good news is that they will never be allowed - it would mean a loss of all speed enforcement revenue, and all speed enforcement officers being sacked. I bet they never get past the police opposition on "safety" grounds...

Even if they get past that, if something goes wrong and there's a fatality, the lawyers will finish the job (particularly the American ones).



Will they work? More than likely for 99.99% of the time, with a little fettling.

Will they be allowed to work? The interesting one.

Would I go in one? Would be handy if you could use one after a night of liver bashing. Otherwise, not interested.

[Mojooo]

if we put tracks on the roasd it would be job done - just put in destination and a computer takes you there.

[Matt UK]

[Sir Humphrey]

M4cruiser said:

Supposedly testing now:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23330681

.. but I really can't see them working if there are too many of them. My daily drive really requires human input at so many situations to keep things moving.

I'm also concerned I won't get an "advanced" drive, because the human eye and brain really can "predict" better than a computer.

Perhaps we'll be able to select the "type" of drive before we press go - maybe "advanced", "boy racer", "pensioner", etc?

They will work better if there are lots of them, with driverless cars will communicate with each other about traffic and hazards making journeys quicker, a car stopping three cars down from me will send out a signal telling all cars following to stop simultaneously, it can follow a car or be followed much more closely making the cost of fuel cheaper.

The human eye cannot see around that lorry, a car sending information wirelessly to other cars about the road ahead of it means my car knows what is right in front of the lorry and if its likely to need to stop, even if its to say there's a tractor on the A38 five miles ahead.

And yes I would love to go in one (and have cars I can drive myself).

[R36vw]

On tracks/grids/rails they will work very well....but many things they've got to look at. If coming home it runs someone over...who's liable? A manufacturer will open a huge can of worms just with this, as a driver that relinquishes control to the computer albeit completely legally...which laws will have to change for. We are da cedes away from this.......and how boring too. Will be liking getting a taxi everywhere and de skills the driver.

[jurbie]

I love the idea and can't wait, but then I do a lot of motorway miles. What I wonder is if it is driverless can it also be occupantless? Can it take me to the airport and then rather than spending a fortune on parking will it be able to drive home and then be waiting for me outside the airport upon my return?

If I'm stuck in work can I send it to pick up the kids from school, drop them off at home and then come and pick me up from work? Maybe I can do my shopping online then rather than pay the supermarket to deliver it I can just send the car? I think the possibilities are much greater than we can imagine.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Works for 'planes.

Works for trains.

Works for spacecraft.

Works for ships.

It will work for cars.

[M4cruiser]

jurbie said:

What I wonder is if it is driverless can it also be occupantless? Can it take me to the airport and then rather than spending a fortune on parking will it be able to drive home and then be waiting for me outside the airport upon my return?

I like this idea!!! I'd use a car I didn't mind sending out on its own.

But I still don't like the idea of being in it, or especially sending it to school for the kids - heck they might re-program the thing!

[Xaero]

They will definitely work, and I will almost definitely be going in one if I want to get a taxi anywhere.

The people who should feel threatened the most are long haul delivery drivers, they'll be out of a job soon (less than 10 years easily I imagine). We'll be eased into it like all planned innovation, first with a switching option (I'm sure the motorway commuters would love to spend that time asleep), and then gradually taking over all trips not made for pleasure.

[glazbagun]

Xaero said:

They will definitely work, and I will almost definitely be going in one if I want to get a taxi anywhere.

The people who should feel threatened the most are long haul delivery drivers, they'll be out of a job soon (less than 10 years easily I imagine). We'll be eased into it like all planned innovation, first with a switching option (I'm sure the motorway commuters would love to spend that time asleep), and then gradually taking over all trips not made for pleasure.

This is what I think. There may begin on limited roads where there's little chance of a nutter pedestrian stepping out on them (testing in London would be a challenge) but I can imagine it being less than 20 years away, by which time those who *gasp* drive their own cars will be seen as some kind of stuck-in-the-past thrill seekers who shouldn't be treated on the NHS, etc, for their crazy risk taking. Like some now talk about skydiving, rock climbing, etc.

[Craigyp79]

I can well imagine that they will be the norm before too long, however I'm fairly sure that it'll be as an option you can activate whilst the ability for manual control is retained.

Taxis will probably be the first to become driverless IMO.