Would you want this?

Quote: the link

brake automatically to avoid hitting pedestrians or other cars

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/18/4341656/mercedes-benz-shows-off-self-driving-car-technology

I have to say I am not comfortable with the idea that the car I am driving will make *any* decisions outside of my own control.

Lol, my dash is lit up like a Xmas tree from all the fuses I pulled to disable computer interference. ABS alone drives me insane. You think I'm gonna be OK with this? XD

I forget if I saw it here or somewhere else, but a key will be liability. If a normal car hits another car the driver is liable and his insurance limit is what it is. If this hits someone on auto, well DBZ has liability and deep pockets.

Quote: AZDuffman

I forget if I saw it here or somewhere else, but a key will be liability. If a normal car hits another car the driver is liable and his insurance limit is what it is. If this hits someone on auto, well DBZ has liability and deep pockets.

For me, it is a concern that I would be attempting to steer out of a situation with the worst thing possible to do being slamming on the brakes. I find instead that the car is automatically braking with it's sense of what to do, sending me over a cliff or something.

Sorry folks, I didn't see this thread.
I happened to be watching an old time movie with its cars being started by turning a hand crank and promptly adjusting a spark retarder and throttle. Some of the cars even featured a tachometer which is said to be of great use in coordinating use of the clutch and the transmission.

Driving used to be a very demanding art. Now... ? Falling asleep from boredom is a possibility.

Quote: odiousgambit

For me, it is a concern that I would be attempting to steer out of a situation with the worst thing possible to do being slamming on the brakes. I find instead that the car is automatically braking with it's sense of what to do, sending me over a cliff or something.

That is a good point. Happened to me once. Didn't release the parking brake, then onto a divided road. Coming up to a stoplight, hit the brakes. Nothing. Reach for the emergency brake and see it is on. So I know I boiled my brake fluid. Cars are at the light so I can't just drift to a stop. I see an ice cream stand with an empty lot on the side so I put her in low and roll into the lot, stopping without bending any metal. Sharp readers will say a smart car will not allow this to happen, but what if it is something the car did not expect? The car will probably not be smart enough to do this kind of avoidance.

Maybe I can add another--driving in snow. Driving in snow is as much art as science. Goose the throttle, touch the brakes, nudge the steering. The computer can think faster that I can, but can it think as fuzzy? Hill coming up so I need more speed now but only so much more. Better yet--I know the lane I need to be in because there is always a back-up ahead, will it remember?

Ah, well, the kids these days can't read a map, why learn to drive in snow? Keep them off the road so I can get where I need on time without traffic!

Quote: odiousgambit

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/18/4341656/mercedes-benz-shows-off-self-driving-car-technology

I have to say I am not comfortable with the idea that the car I am driving will make *any* decisions outside of my own control.

But, they will able to drop laws against texting and drinking alcohol. Well, iffy on the alcohol. Why, you could read a book going to work, watch TV or play video games. People will be having sex in a moving car (more often).

A private vehicle differs from train, bus or subway, so the number of possibilities increases for what might be affected.

(oh, I'm not arguing any of this would be a good thing.)

Driverless vehicles have been discussed for some time, but I think the basic future will be in pedestrian orient cities. I know those have also been discussed for a long time, but construction techniques are better, and in Asia they are building more cities from scratch.

So four autonomous vehicles (out of 48 on the road in California) have already been involved in accidents since September of 2014. Two under human control, and two under "auto" drive. Supposedly, they were all minor, but that makes it worse. If you can't avoid an accident while traveling under 10 mph, what's going to happen at 65?

Quote: Ayecarumba

So four autonomous vehicles (out of 48 on the road in California) have already been involved in accidents since September of 2014. Two under human control, and two under "auto" drive. Supposedly, they were all minor, but that makes it worse. If you can't avoid an accident while travelling under 10 mph, what's going to happen at 65?

Autonomous has to go in stages. We have had cruise control for a generation now, which is perhaps the most basic level. Adaptive cruise was the next thing, which seems to be working fine. Before they go totally auto they probably need to get cars to just follow the open road.

Where I have an issue is that there is so much on the road that requires the fuzzy logic of a human. Just today a few temporary construction zones that were not very big. I just see it taking another generation for it not to just be technically plausible, but for humans to know how to react.

Meanwhile, did Wiz get an autonomous plate yet?