Would you trust a self driving car?

[Torque Talks]

There are people who when I stop and think about it I dont feel comfortable trusting my life too but I'd trust them to drive me somewhere more than I would a robot as a person, even the biggest mook has the instinct of self preservation. It would be handy, but it doesn't seem like itd be relaxing.

[Sprint]

I am also a cyclist so I do not trust dexter to drive a 2 ton vehicle next to me. Imagine a robot cleaning up your pride and joy, you cant even punch a robot lol.

[mik]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Wow, so many from the tin foil hat brigade, are you aware that the hardware needed to run these autonomous cars is already on the road now, radar cruise, lane departure systems, blind spot monitoring, auto city braking all form part autonomous functionality with the final control by the human driver. Nope, none of it is perfect, but there will be a time when all cars are talking to each other so there will be no such thing as an out of control car veering into your lane without your own vehicle knowing that its coming.

I like your optimism.

[whiteSY]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Wow, so many from the tin foil hat brigade, are you aware that the hardware needed to run these autonomous cars is already on the road now, radar cruise, lane departure systems, blind spot monitoring, auto city braking all form part autonomous functionality with the final control by the human driver. Nope, none of it is perfect, but there will be a time when all cars are talking to each other so there will be no such thing as an out of control car veering into your lane without your own vehicle knowing that its coming.

Whats wrong with a tin-foil hat?
It stops "them" from reading your thoughts . . . .

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by mik

I like your optimism.

As Clarkson said some years back...self driving cars are a wonderful idea, but you just know that when one is second hand in a few years time it's going to be bought by someone named Kevin...and he's going to think he can "improve it" and start tinkering...

[Iggle Piggle]

Would be cool though if they are all programmed to get away from the lights in unison.

The moment the light goes green a line of about 20 compu-cars in the left lane all react immediately and take off at similar pace, with very slight reductions in acceleration rate from the first car through to the last to build their programmed gap by the time they reach the speed limit.

Meanwhile I am stuck in the right lane with some organic drivers, about 10th car back, and miss the green that myself and a few cars behind could have easily made if it weren't for all the numpties that have to wait for the car in front of them to pull away about 5 car lengths before they then slowly get moving.

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

A little while ago I drove a truck with lane departure and blind spot monitoring.

The blind spot (left side front) was handy as used to tell me when I was going across a bridge.

I tried out the lane departure one night (remember this is out in the stix) and changed sides of the road.
The lane departure warning went off when I crossed the centre line but then stopped.

I could have driven on the wrong side of the road a long as I liked, it did however set it off again when I changed back to the correct side

So it worked as it should have then.
Lane departure Warning, not lane departure Control.

I see warning systems as different in that they are there to aid the driver (alarms, lights, some minor control), not to replace the driver. Self driving cars are not like the Tesla, or it's Auto Pilot at this point (it still requires you to be aware and ready to take control back!). These are aids, not replacements to being aware. But some of the systems do seem to cross over. Active cruise is another one, in that you can literally take your feet off the pedals and go (and stop). But it doesn't mean you cross your legs and switch off the brain!

Anytime control or the appearance of control is taken from people, it's always a hard sell, but whilst I can't see all cars on the roads being self driving in the future, the days coming fast when we will be sharing the roads with them. My biggest concern is if someone thinks the self drive car has cut them off, or is driving to slow (aka the speed limit), will flipping the bird at one give the same satisfaction, or worse, kick off road rage revenge from Skynet! ;)

In saying the above, I personally look forward to being carted around by our new tech overlords, but it's very early days and I don't see them becoming the norm for a long time.

[MDS69]

Sorry I haven't read the first two pages but to me
what happens if the police flag the car down for RBT, will it pull in.
What happens when the road is being repaired - three scenarios
1 - around the suburbs and detour signs are put up but as the car doesn't have a driver it can't see the detour signs
2 - lollipop men/women
3 - In the bush there can be sidetracks because of road works

I am sure the programmers have thought of this but it would be interesting to know the solution.

[Qwerty321]

Originally Posted by MDS69

Sorry I haven't read the first two pages but to me
what happens if the police flag the car down for RBT, will it pull in.
What happens when the road is being repaired - three scenarios
1 - around the suburbs and detour signs are put up but as the car doesn't have a driver it can't see the detour signs
2 - lollipop men/women
3 - In the bush there can be sidetracks because of road works

I am sure the programmers have thought of this but it would be interesting to know the solution.

That's the thing, there's infinite variables when driving. You can't pre program for all of them. The only way self driving cars could work is if they can think, learn and improvise for themselves. Which probably means a fully functioning AI, which is a long way away.

[Sprintey]

Will they be like our iPad and get slower each year you own them?

[ford71V8]

Originally Posted by Qwerty321

That's the thing, there's infinite variables when driving. You can't pre program for all of them. The only way self driving cars could work is if they can think, learn and improvise for themselves. Which probably means a fully functioning AI, which is a long way away.

I agree.
Roadworks and detours are one thing.
What about a scenario like 15 people at a bus stop on one side, 20 standing at the bus stop on the other side and then a child runs on to the road directly in front of you - which choice will the car make?

[Express]

Originally Posted by ford71V8

What about a scenario like 15 people at a bus stop on one side, 20 standing at the bus stop on the other side and then a child runs on to the road directly in front of you - which choice will the car make?

In Carmageddon you scored bonuses for taking them all out.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

How many people on AFF fly? My brother, who is the captain of a Jetstar A320, tells me the planes fly themselves for most of the journey. If people trust self-flying planes then self-driving cars should be no reason for concern.

This is the point I was going to raise. But you did it.

Seeing as 90% of accidents are actually some moron at fault it would actually be safer out there. If it got rid of people who are more interested in doing something else rather then control their motor vehicle it would be a good thing.

As long as they don't make driving a car illegal then I'm all for it.

[CoupeKing]

With a plane, if something goes wrong there is always the human element to at least try and rectify the situation.

I just pictured myself sitting in the back of a self driven car taking selfies in Kenworth territory just as the software decided to go to sleep.. no more KFC for me.

[Kingsley]

Yep, they're trustworthy!!!

http://auto.ndtv.com/news/google-sel...o-slow-1243850

[ford71V8]

Originally Posted by Express

In Carmageddon you scored bonuses for taking them all out.

I know it well. I can still hear the squishy sounds when you did exactly that.