h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Following on from a news story that driverless cars will be allowed on UK roads (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28562591) is this necessarily a good idea?

I would expect the first people to use these will be delivery companies, eliminating the expensive driver. That could well lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs axed almost overnight.

On the plus side, accidents would decrease, lives would be saved and roads should be much safer.

What are the pros and cons of driverless cars?

That link does not seem to link. Also, motor vehicle laws are determined on the state level, so any suggestion of broad countrywide permissibility would be misleading.

Try: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28551069

It looks like the law will apply throughout the UK. Good luck trying to get a driverless car on the Isle of Wight ferry.

As a cyclist I'm a little worried...

<BB<

As a cyclist I'm hopeful that electronic sensors are better at detecting cyclists than the average motorist.

They can't surely be any worse an idea, than the vast number of brainless cars currently on the roads... although the concept... Is gona take a lot of getting used too, both for drivers/passengers, and those not in the driverless cars...

An interesting viewpoint - http://www.wired.com/2014/05/the-robot-car-of-tomorrow-might-just-be-programmed-to-hit-you/

As an automotive enthusiast I am resisting all the new
fangled electronic gizmos in cars. Hell, I was opposed
to the advent of flashing turn signal lights as a poor
substitute to the original hand signals. My argument was
that soon no one would remember how to make a hand signal
in the event of a burnt out bulb. (Have you ever been angered
or put in danger by another car's failure to properly signal -
the driver might not even know the lights aren't working!)

Today's cars are already far too dependent on complex and
vulnerable electronix in all their functions - I would never drive
a car with electric-only connections to its steering and braking
functions. They call it 'drive-by-wire' and there-in lies the Truth.
Drive-by
Wire
No! We need mechanical connections and full manual operations
in order to maintain proper and sensitive control.

Look at the ten years of ignition switch failures in GM cars
that literally disabled all of a car's functions when you went
over a pothole and your rabbit's foot keyholder bounced the
keys into the off position. No one knew how to cope. They froze
onto the locked steering wheels and pressed uselessly on powerless
brakes instead of putting in the clutch and restarting the engine
for gawdsake!

I know I can't resist the march of 'progress' but I ask that
driverless systems first be fitted to wheelchairs and mobility
scooters so we can see how bad it will be when things go awry.
With less mass, lower speeds and arguably less valuable citizens
on board we'll soon see the woeful dangers of automating any
more automotive systems.


~jwf~

To quote from swl's link:

"CRASH-AVOIDANCE ALGORITHMS CAN BE BIASED IN TROUBLING WAYS."


~jwf~

<>

ouch

double tripple ouch.

Fewer cars rahter than more on the roads, I thought was a desired thing, nowdays, for all kinds of various reasons... I'm g guessing driverless cars, won't necessarily move us any further in that direction

there have to be times when the computer isn't the best judge of a situation I should hope that these cars have a way in which a human can take control in an emergency

I am also worried this will mean the lack of necessity for a drivers licence after all if the computer does everything what is the need for a qualified driver? until there is an accident or something similar and now no-one knows how to drive

>> ouch <<

Touche!

Now aint you glad that human "CRASH-AVOIDANCE ALGORITHMS
are not BIASED IN TROUBLING WAYS."


~jwf~

driverless cars where is the fun in that.

...and then, of course, 'the big crash' (in computer language) comes and the result makes the history books...

It has been said on the news that a child born today will not need a driving licence.

This seems to assume that there will be no manual option on these vehicles. Not a good idea at all one less skill, why will need cars anyway soon the human race will be plugged into virtual reality computers.

We are creating our own captivity and loosing our survival skills.

Not really sure on this one.
A computer won't be an angry driver, it won't be a tired driver, it won't get impatient and jump lights race away when they go green (will we even need traffic lights any more if this goes all out...). Lots of potential positives.

But then people *like* speeding, enjoy the race away from traffic lights, overtaking that smaller bumbling car...

Not convinced this will be very marketable...

I can see insurance premiums for driverless cars being far, far less than normal cars so businesses and the public sector will switch as soon as they possibly can. At the same time, premiums for ordinary cars will rise and rise to make up the shortfall, making driving your own car a very expensive pastime.

True, true

Driverless cars mixing with the driven cars will cause problems drivers will still run lights and speed and take advantage of the predictable driverless car. I will drive the driverless cars look dangerously feeble deathtraps.

One the greatest advantage of driver-less cars could be automobile clubs where you could join and have access to a communal car. A premium member could have an auto available at specific times each day for their commute to w*rk. Rather than sitting idle in the parking lot all day it could run about town serving the needs of other members, shopping etc.

And the same car, or another one, could be available in the evening. Those members with parking available at their homes could also provide the club with a space to store cars that are not in use.

It would certainly remove the risk of drunken or impaired drivers on the road.

Not that I am looking forward to giving up my driving privileges - I am being dragged into the 21st century while kicking and screaming!



F S