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

Is it me?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17989553

Can anyone think of uses for this traffic-creating technology?

Quite right Icy. Where will they go, what will they do? Are they going to hang around fuel stations in groups intimidating the older, less techy cars?

Most accidents occur because of driver error. When the driver is a computer, there will be accidents caused by computer error.

>>Most accidents occur because of driver error. When the driver is a computer, there will be accidents caused by computer error.

When travelling by driverless car, keep your drivers updated.

Error.
The following error has been encountered; another car.

Blue Screen of Death could certainly be caused by a fatal exception error.

Out of interest, how fast was the automated traffic in 2000 ADs MegaCityOne?

How fast was it? Couldn't have been slower than what we have where I live.

What I wonder is how the driverless cars will know where they're supposed to go. If their programmed with instructions from web sites like Mapquest, there will be certain disaster. They will be told to take streets that don't exist.

>>What I wonder is how the driverless cars will know where they're supposed to go.

There are robot cars already.

Google is into driverless cars in a big way.
That is scary.
Cars that use statistical algorithms to indiscriminately
send unknown factors to Trash and avoid any sexuality or
physical content. Would I want my car to be limited to a
set of priorities set by frequency and distance from my
postal code. No doubt it would route me past its personal
choice of billboards and roadside attractions.

~jwf~

Blimey I'd love a car that drove itself.

I could do some work, read a book, play a game, even surf hootoo when normally I'm cursing other drivers, getting stressed or otherwise not enjoying driving through the usual commuting traffic.
No (or much less) chance of getting done for a driving offence, or other nutters careering into you. I could maybe even have an


Obviously it would need to be kept an eye on to make sure it went the right way and stuff but I suspect that's probably not a problem in the city centre with modern satnavs.

Gets my vote

Like Orcus, I'm all in favour.

Can't this just happen already? Come one! - what are we waiting for?

I think I'll just wait till we can be beamed everywhere. Cuts out the travelling all together.

What about the old philosophical problem of you step into the transport pod, and wittness yourself arrive on the live television view screen in the other location - you were just copied - but the device failed to obliterate your old self.

'A flight attendant calmly informs you you will be taken escorted through and exit "here" , "here" and "here" (with gestures) out behind the chemical tanks and shot.'

Give me cars driven by homicidal artificial intelligences with paranoid delusions. "Open the pod-bay Doors Hal. I can't do that Dave." - any day of the week.

"No doubt it would route me past its personal
choice of billboards and roadside attractions." [jwf]

Is that the worst dystopia you can imagine?
If that happens, you can lie back and snooze, or
read your favorite whatever.

Some people should not be driving. It makes sense that
robot cars would get them where they want to go. However,
there will still always be nutters who will crash into them...

>>However,
there will still always be nutters who will crash into them

Unless we all have robot cars, or a least, robot-only roads.

Regarding "beaming up", I thought this was interesting in the context of this thread - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17905533

#swl
That is a very thoughtful and thorough exploration
of the potentials and pitfalls of remote explorations
in cyberspace! Several new ideas to ponder and many
moral questions to be considered. And a needful reminder
of our human limitations.

~jwf~