RE: Google patents autonomous car mode
Friday 16th December 2011
Google's push towards creating driverless cars seems to have moved a step closer, as it's been awarded a US patent for a vehicle that's able to switch from a driver-operated mode to auto pilot, more or less at the push of a button.
What US patent number 8,078,349 actually describes is "An autonomous vehicle comprising: a first sensor configured to detect a landing strip responsive to the vehicle stopping; a second sensor configured to detect a reference indicator, responsive to the first sensor detecting the landing strip; an analysis module configured to identify reference data associated with the detected reference indicator, wherein the reference data comprises an internet address; a wireless unit configured to wirelessly retrieve an autonomous vehicle instruction based on at least the reference data; and, a control module configured to switch the vehicle into an autonomous operation mode, wherein the autonomous operation mode comprises the control module executing the autonomous vehicle instruction."
Google patents autonomous car mode
Automotive auto-pilot moves a step closer with new US patent
And breathe.
What this effectively means is that drivers will be able to direct their cars across a 'landing strip' (kind of like an on-road QR code) and, providing various systems get the go-ahead, Google would send the car's brain GPS directions telling it precisely how to get to its pre-defined destination. Darn clever, in short.
As long as we can still take over the controls when we want to, it sounds like an appealing way to alleviate the pain of some of life's duller journeys...
Discussion
Apologies in advance for the tin-foil hat, but this sounds dreadful.
As soon as it's been proved that 'driving' (a government-defined concept that will boil down to 'being moved around by a car' by people who spend their entire life in London/Brussels/New York and have probably never even learned to drive) is less dangerous if humans aren't allowed to do it, expect to suddenly find the kind of driving for pleasure we enjoy almost impossible to justify in the face of the kind of legislation that could make this ongoing computerised numbing unreality process mandatory.
As soon as it's been proved that 'driving' (a government-defined concept that will boil down to 'being moved around by a car' by people who spend their entire life in London/Brussels/New York and have probably never even learned to drive) is less dangerous if humans aren't allowed to do it, expect to suddenly find the kind of driving for pleasure we enjoy almost impossible to justify in the face of the kind of legislation that could make this ongoing computerised numbing unreality process mandatory.
Twincam16 said:
Apologies in advance for the tin-foil hat, but this sounds dreadful.
As soon as it's been proved that 'driving' (a government-defined concept that will boil down to 'being moved around by a car' by people who spend their entire life in London/Brussels/New York and have probably never even learned to drive) is less dangerous if humans aren't allowed to do it, expect to suddenly find the kind of driving for pleasure we enjoy almost impossible to justify in the face of the kind of legislation that could make this ongoing computerised numbing unreality process mandatory.
How are they going to fit auto-drive to a Shelby Cobra?As soon as it's been proved that 'driving' (a government-defined concept that will boil down to 'being moved around by a car' by people who spend their entire life in London/Brussels/New York and have probably never even learned to drive) is less dangerous if humans aren't allowed to do it, expect to suddenly find the kind of driving for pleasure we enjoy almost impossible to justify in the face of the kind of legislation that could make this ongoing computerised numbing unreality process mandatory.
If it's possible to make a car that drives itself, it must be possible to make a car that we can also drive that will take over if we are doing something that is going to result in a crash. Hopefully that will mean there will never come a time when the politicians decide we shouldn't be allowed to drive ourselves.
I'd rather they didn't bother with any of this though.
I'd rather they didn't bother with any of this though.
-Z- said:
Twincam16 said:
Apologies in advance for the tin-foil hat, but this sounds dreadful.
As soon as it's been proved that 'driving' (a government-defined concept that will boil down to 'being moved around by a car' by people who spend their entire life in London/Brussels/New York and have probably never even learned to drive) is less dangerous if humans aren't allowed to do it, expect to suddenly find the kind of driving for pleasure we enjoy almost impossible to justify in the face of the kind of legislation that could make this ongoing computerised numbing unreality process mandatory.
How are they going to fit auto-drive to a Shelby Cobra?As soon as it's been proved that 'driving' (a government-defined concept that will boil down to 'being moved around by a car' by people who spend their entire life in London/Brussels/New York and have probably never even learned to drive) is less dangerous if humans aren't allowed to do it, expect to suddenly find the kind of driving for pleasure we enjoy almost impossible to justify in the face of the kind of legislation that could make this ongoing computerised numbing unreality process mandatory.
-Turns up initially on Group B rally cars in the Eighties, developed from diff-locking systems that allow the driver to adapt the car to varying surfaces.
-Simplified systems turn up on top-end high-performance versions of road cars, is proven to work.
-The EU decides that it's such a good idea there's no excuse for anyone not to fit it.
-Even more simplified systems bordering on the cheap and nasty and spannered together by people you probably wouldn't buy a radio from crop up on the cheapest superminis whether you like it or not.
-Cars get more expensive to buy, repair and run, and duller to drive as a result.
How long will it be before this rather inhuman, anti-emotional process of computer-like rationalisation gets applied to the very act of driving itself?
I mean, seriously, it's something we all enjoy, but in the face of some stats drone from a government ivory tower, how can you justify the act of driving when it's statistically proven to be 100% more dangerous than letting a computer do it? And therefore unjustifiable etc.
This auto-driving idea just fills me with dread, yet another emotional, human, irrational, 'unjustifiable' thing I enjoy being threatened with extinction by the Vulcan-like logical rationalisation process of computers.
Computers have their place, but I really am starting to hate the world they're 'creating'.
It's likely to be insurance companies that really push this. Imagine having to pay (e.g.) many times more than the premium for an autonomous car, if you want to ensure a pre-autonomous era classic.
Maybe in time, and with a bit more common sense thinking about the meaning of life and the need to maintain a sense of personal responsibility among individuals, there will be some resistance to these trends. We'll see.
Maybe in time, and with a bit more common sense thinking about the meaning of life and the need to maintain a sense of personal responsibility among individuals, there will be some resistance to these trends. We'll see.
At least for a while this still has massive hurdles to overcome, like widespread public acceptance and the fact that driverless cars are illegal in all but one US state (Virginia I think, but don't quote me on that). These aren't going to appear without vast swathes of legislation being rewritten and extensive trials, demos and tests first. When it eventually does arrive I'm willing to bet it won't be a Prius with a box on the drivers seat.
Just what's going ot happen when those "on-road bar codes" get dirty?
This is just a patent, because they thought of it and no one else has patented it yet, it's not representative of anything actually viable.
Personally I'd love to see all cars on the road automated, I love driving, but I hate getting wound up by inconsiderate people who treat the road as a cock-fight. Autonomous vehicles for the public roads, and greater access to track days for those of us who realy want to drive how god intended.
This is just a patent, because they thought of it and no one else has patented it yet, it's not representative of anything actually viable.
Personally I'd love to see all cars on the road automated, I love driving, but I hate getting wound up by inconsiderate people who treat the road as a cock-fight. Autonomous vehicles for the public roads, and greater access to track days for those of us who realy want to drive how god intended.
Well if it's anything like my works upgrade to Windows 7, the fekking thing will crash at least once a day!
However!!
I do like my reversing sensors that clever little computer thingy that detects old ladies who can see me revering into a parking spot but still feel they can walk straight into thw way.
I do like my ABS being a superfast computer that can react faster than I can.
Wish I had one of the littel bufggers on the car I skidded into the tree with a few years back!
I do like my EPS (as for ABS)
I love that engine management system computer system that adjusts all the parameters 1000 a SECOND!
I can remember when we had to manually adjust ignition advance/retard and use a choke!
And I fekking love my 6 speed ZF autobox!
All them ups and down the gears sitting on the M25 for 3 hours becasue I AM a MAN!!!
I think my left leg is now longer than it was before they invented the "Racing" clutch.
So computer driver aids that help me? Too right!
However!!
I do like my reversing sensors that clever little computer thingy that detects old ladies who can see me revering into a parking spot but still feel they can walk straight into thw way.
I do like my ABS being a superfast computer that can react faster than I can.
Wish I had one of the littel bufggers on the car I skidded into the tree with a few years back!
I do like my EPS (as for ABS)
I love that engine management system computer system that adjusts all the parameters 1000 a SECOND!
I can remember when we had to manually adjust ignition advance/retard and use a choke!
And I fekking love my 6 speed ZF autobox!
All them ups and down the gears sitting on the M25 for 3 hours becasue I AM a MAN!!!
I think my left leg is now longer than it was before they invented the "Racing" clutch.
So computer driver aids that help me? Too right!
Its a Train isn't it like those buses that run from the airport car parks but no rails…It is not a car. It also doesn't stop a truck driving into it on the motorway.
I really don't see the point ……..Oh yeah I see it after experiencing drivers on the m27 the other day makes a lot of sense.
I really don't see the point ……..Oh yeah I see it after experiencing drivers on the m27 the other day makes a lot of sense.
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