General Discussion

Chan790

(20,176 posts)

69. Funny you say that...

Tue May 31, 2016, 08:23 AM

May 2016

do you know the story of how the Google Car lost it's steering wheel? This is actually funny.

In track testing (before they had done much live, on-road testing), they consistently noticed that in the highest-risk, worst situations...the situations that car is best suited to drive and humans are worst-suited to drive...drivers kept disengaging the self-driving capabilities and taking control of the car. This was a problem and it took a good deal of time to condition the drivers to think "Self-drive in the good times if you want...auto-drive is 100 times better for traffic and hazardous conditions than a human is capable of driving."

Anyways, once the project started to get some buzz and there was some nascent discussion about what state laws might look like, one of the things that kept coming up was that a number of states said they'd require the driver to be able to take control...precisely what shouldn't happen...so Google beat them to the pulpit and took the steering wheels out, calling it "an improvement to remove the most-faulty aspect of automotive-control from the equation."

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Why most drivers don�t want autonomous cars [View all] FrodosPet May 2016 OP

Bet they like cruise control Duckhunter935 May 2016 #1

Some people do, some people don't FrodosPet May 2016 #2

Public support is the red herring of the discussion. Chan790 May 2016 #68

I hate cruise control frazzled May 2016 #13

That is an advantage of adaptive cruise control FrodosPet May 2016 #15

Just bought my Wife a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The first time I was on the freeway... cherokeeprogressive May 2016 #47

I envy you... moriah May 2016 #57

I hate it also. RebelOne May 2016 #59

I have a friend who uses cruise control LisaM May 2016 #76

Unless you are vision impaired. But who cares about them, right ? Trust Buster May 2016 #3

I care about them FrodosPet May 2016 #5

I care about them as well. Self driving cars will open up the world to millions of visually impaired Trust Buster May 2016 #6

Yes, they will FrodosPet May 2016 #11

I don't believe they're in the foreseeable future either. They're still very much in the development Trust Buster May 2016 #12

There is a whole shift in car ownership. Jesus Malverde May 2016 #18

I believe the market itself will lead to self driven cars. As a higher percentage of our population Trust Buster May 2016 #31

Very interesting. Would self-driving cars have an Hortensis May 2016 #32

I expect there will be private cars and corporate fleets of these cars Jesus Malverde May 2016 #34

I really like the idea of fleets, but since Hortensis May 2016 #36

Google is not getting a car without a steering wheel FrodosPet May 2016 #45

In 4 years.... Jesus Malverde May 2016 #49

I know Alphabet Inc has more money than God FrodosPet May 2016 #64

Your problem consistently in this discussion... Chan790 May 2016 #70

Funny you say that... Chan790 May 2016 #69

Or simply can't drive for various reasons. Odin2005 May 2016 #26

Yes, I hope we all live to see the day that traveling is free of current endemic discriminations. Trust Buster May 2016 #29

I spend a lot of my time drunk. AngryAmish May 2016 #42

So it does OK with lane drifters and people who come up quick on your 6? FrodosPet May 2016 #46

I get this second hand, so if I am wrong, so be it. AngryAmish May 2016 #50

Or have MS and too slow a reaction time.... nt Mojorabbit May 2016 #56

Until the tech is thoroughly tested through these... moriah May 2016 #58

I like driving. Brickbat May 2016 #4

So do I Duckhunter935 May 2016 #7

It will be great to have that option, absolutely. Brickbat May 2016 #10

I've thought about that too. I love driving, and where I live. ... but if my RKP5637 May 2016 #28

Ditto CanonRay May 2016 #8

not i shanti May 2016 #39

I like to drive. When there's no one else on the road. kentauros May 2016 #44

i want one. so does my daughter. mopinko May 2016 #9

Who wouldn't be concerned about using an unproven technology? PersonNumber503602 May 2016 #14

I always liked the old GM and Mercedes experiments with... TreasonousBastard May 2016 #16

My car slows down if it gets too close to the car in front. Hoppy May 2016 #17

Is that the one with three or four cameras at the top of the windshield?..nt Jesus Malverde May 2016 #19

There is a camera in the windshield for lane departure detection. Hoppy May 2016 #20

I was thinking of the new subaru's Jesus Malverde May 2016 #22

No. Mine has a black, rectangular radar device on the grill. Hoppy May 2016 #23

This is why self-driving cars will never take over. NutmegYankee May 2016 #21

Actually that will be one of the biggest challenges. Jesus Malverde May 2016 #25

Well, if a car is driving all the time it will require far more maintenance and wear out faster. NutmegYankee May 2016 #33

"Well, if a car is driving all the time it will require far more maintenance and wear out faster." Jesus Malverde May 2016 #35

You live in a high density city, but most people don't. NutmegYankee May 2016 #37

Drivers don't really matter, insurance companies do, as soon as its... Humanist_Activist May 2016 #63

Only if the law allows that. NutmegYankee May 2016 #66

The law will allow this. Chan790 May 2016 #71

Lol, horse and buggy people said the same thing, i love it! Nt Logical May 2016 #72

I don't like the idea of autonomous cars meow2u3 May 2016 #24

Technophobic old people die eventually. Odin2005 May 2016 #27

It isn't technophobia. NutmegYankee May 2016 #38

I hate automobiles and I hate driving. hunter May 2016 #30

I love the concept of self-driving cars. kentauros May 2016 #40

Maybe it's time we treated distracted driving, texting, talking on a cellphone Heeeeers Johnny May 2016 #52

There are laws that fine people. kentauros May 2016 #54

Because of texting, self driving cars will be here sooner than you think Yavin4 May 2016 #41

As with most technology, it will be great for advancing independence among older people and liberal_at_heart May 2016 #43

"And today, an unexplained explosion in driver Gren Gleenward's automatic car. Police say... Shandris May 2016 #48

I have no problem with those that would want this technology for their personal use Heeeeers Johnny May 2016 #51

I love to drive. I love to shift the gears and turn the wheels myself. Avalux May 2016 #53

This article reminds me of articles in the 1970s and early 1980s... stevenleser May 2016 #55

But the computer was something YOU controlled. By design, you have little to no control. FrodosPet May 2016 #60

Perhaps but it concerns me more I have no control of the planes I fly in. stevenleser May 2016 #62

Really? whatthehey May 2016 #75

They remind me of articles around the same time... Chan790 May 2016 #73

I agree, people always fight new technology. Nt Logical May 2016 #74

They don't play World of Warcraft? One_Life_To_Give May 2016 #61

You folks need these cars. I'm good with what I drive now. nt TeamPooka May 2016 #65

Rental cars for rich people. Perfect application. jmowreader May 2016 #67

Don't we all just love stop and go rush hour traffic, fatal crashes, drunk drivers, and near misses. killbotfactory May 2016 #77

i'd like the option, but absolutely would never buy one if I could not put it to manual Amishman May 2016 #78