Where is my driverless car?

[AstralTraveller (David)]

I think a mate's father used to have one. It's the only way he could have got back from the pub on Friday night . Those were the (not so) good ol' days.

[xelasnave]

When I finally get out of Sydney I wont care.
I will set up in the bush as I once was and get provisions for six months at a time ...delivered...put in a heli pad for emergency and go back to astronomy full time.
Alex

[redbeard (Damien)]

We have had driverless cars in our area for a while now! Well that’s the only explanation for the way people who own cars in our area seem to operate them!

Cheers,
Damien

[AstralTraveller (David)]

My father used to reckon most accidents are caused by mechanical failure - usually of the nut holding the steering wheel.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

I reckon I am quite a long way yet from allowing a software engineer, backed up by a committee to make the necessary decision on who live and who dies when it boils down to that final crucial choice.

As for the semi autonomous features that are popping up. I have my worries about a lot of them, mainly based on the concerns above about drivers becoming (Even more) complacent behind the wheel. You can really expect people to zone out when the car does most of the work. That being a given, people will take crucial seconds to work out which way is up when after a three quarter hour commute their car suddenly says "help me, I can't work out where the lanes are" at 100kmh as it is headed in the wrong direction.

I base that on how badly I have seen human drivers cope day after day with messy lane markings on Melbourne's Western ring Rd due to roadworks, markings that go every which way in at least two colours, and that is when it is dry and the ones they have painted out in black don't shine as though they are white but people have been driving over them for a couple of years. Just imagine the dozey driver trying to work out where they should go in the couple of seconds before they hit something after the car suddenly surrenders and "Gives" control back to them.

You could only hope that autonomous braking stopped the car before it actually hit something, and that those following were similarly equipped, or driven by drivers who were actually awake and attentive.

[xelasnave]

Interesting
https://youtu.be/QtVbch-02Fs
Alex

[AndyG (Andy)]

@Redbeard: I hear ya. Sadly, many of the cars that drive around my 'hood are both driverless, AND ownerless. As in, whomever is driving them is barely there, and it ain't their car anyway...

[redbeard (Damien)]

Originally Posted by AndyG

@Redbeard: I hear ya. Sadly, many of the cars that drive around my 'hood are both driverless, AND ownerless. As in, whomever is driving them is barely there, and it ain't their car anyway...

[leon]

Love it Andy, and Alex you cant have one, what would happen if you changed your mind and wanted to do burnouts and forgot to tell the car

Leon

[Kal (Andrew)]

you want to jump in the car, say where you are going, and then have a nap while on your way there?


You can use an uber or a taxi Alex

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by Kal

you want to jump in the car, say where you are going, and then have a nap while on your way there?


You can use an uber or a taxi Alex

Trips from Sydney to Tabby may get expensive☺

I suppose I should not complain...imagine doing the Sydney to Tabby trip in a horse and carriage...when I first moved to Tabby I had the idea to get a horse and cart to get home from the pub but apparently you have yo be in control of a horse and cart.

So happy ..just come out of the doctors and apparently I dont have what I thought I have and have a little more imaging time left.

So I cant help slipping in a message here...folks dont put your dreams off ever...you have one life and it aint that long..do it now and above all be happy every single moment...phew☺

Alex

[csb (Craig)]

I think driverless cars will become very reliable n safe. And because most car accidents are caused by human error then human control may possibly legislated against.

So I wonder what about motorbikes?

If people are not allowed to take control of vehicles then that would also include motorbikes.

What will happen to outlaw motorcycle gangs?

[doppler (Rick)]

Originally Posted by csb

I think driverless cars will become very reliable n safe. And because most car accidents are caused by human error then human control may possibly legislated against.

So I wonder what about motorbikes?

If people are not allowed to take control of vehicles then that would also include motorbikes.

What will happen to outlaw motorcycle gangs?

Outlaw motorcycle gangs are illegal in Qld, 2 members together and they get arrested, and they don't even have to be on bikes.

[N1 (Mirko)]

Originally Posted by DarkArts

The car will drop you off like a school run, then go and park itself. Pick up is the same in reverse.

Apartments will no longer need to include parking spaces, just a pick up/drop off/loading zone. The car park can be some multi-storey maybe a kilometre or more away

I used to think there are few (if any) modes of transport dumber and less efficient than a 1-2t motor vehicle carrying just one person around a city. I guess I was wrong.

[AndyG (Andy)]

Originally Posted by csb

then human control may possibly legislated against.
So I wonder what about motorbikes?
What will happen to outlaw motorcycle gangs?

I enjoy driving, very much so actually. Banning driving by humans would be a draconian move. Actually... good luck with them trying that in 2 generations or less. Maybe it's another step in the distant future to make humans more dependent and useless? Remember the cruise ship humans in Wall-E?

What about motorbikes? Hmmm, here's one of my top 3 fave Youtube videos (I have a soft spot for the Pinocchio story):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4asCK8yamb0

Motorcycle gangs? "Bad" people will still do "it" (whatever "it" is), anyway...

[AndyG (Andy)]

Originally Posted by N1

I used to think there are few (if any) modes of transport dumber and less efficient than a 1-2t motor vehicle carrying just one person around a city. I guess I was wrong.

I don't think you're wrong at all. It seems to me that the future autonomous shuttle car will be a combination of semi related technologies: AI and sensors (OP's premise), coupled with a clean fuel source, lightweight construction, and new standards in size.

An AI controlled "tank" (as in, a vehicle being 1 tonne more than needed for moving 1-2 people @ 80km/h), is just silly. Even AI controlled vans and trucks could shrink without need for a human cabin.

[AndrewJ]

Gday Andy

Banning driving by humans would be a draconian move.

I cant see it working the way they want unless they do, at least for the inner suburbs.
They have pretty much banned smoking in localised areas.
Restrictions on drink driving, seatbelts were brought in and now getting tightened "for our safety", so i assume they will just use the same methods to make it impossible to drive in a small area first, then creep it outwards as the technology and sensors expand capability.


Andrew

[AndyG (Andy)]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Gday Andy
I cant see it working the way they want unless they do, at least for the inner suburbs.
They have pretty much banned smoking in localised areas.
Restrictions on drink driving, seatbelts were brought in and now getting tightened "for our safety", so i assume they will just use the same methods to make it impossible to drive in a small area first, then creep it outwards as the technology and sensors expand capability.
Andrew

Sadly, I can't argue. They have their ways...
So when's the revolution kicking off?

[AndrewJ]

Gday Andy

So when's the revolution kicking off?

It already has.
There are inner suburban green councils down here now bringing in 24 hr 30kph "general" speed limits

I was looking at integrated/automated warehousing ( in Germany ) back in the mid eighties, and problems like this were being discussed back then
( ie no humans allowed in the warehouse )
It was the only way it could be made safe enough.


If you look at the city, and ban people from accessing the roads
it just becomes a big automated warehouse.
That theory turns to custard a few miles out :-)
but i can see it happening quickly for the CBD and a few inner suburbs.
Another benefit is if no one owns their own cars ( which will be electric ) the charging can be spread out to suit the power grid, vs when everyone wants to charge based on their schedules.
Lots of pros and lots of cons.



Andrew

[AndyG (Andy)]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Gday Andy
It already has.

Oops, sorry, I should clarify:
I meant the revolution involving pitchforks, torches, and hollering, etc...