Are you looking forward to self driving cars?

[NW-Bound]

I can see cases where a strict adherence to speed limits can cause problems. But a computer can be programmed to allow exceedance for a short time, but not for minute-long stretches. And to avoid cutting power while our drag racer is trying to pass, the computer can make an aural warning before actually doing it.

I know, I know. Before long they will figure out how to disable that limit.

So, any big brother watching function has to be external to the car. I feel fairly strongly about red light photos due to personal experience. My wife once got her car totaled by a guy running the red light in a pickup. Thank goodness she was not hurt. I will not go into details here, except that we had reasons to believe he did it on purpose so that he could sue for money, and he did. There was no witness, so my wife was automatically at fault, and he collected.

Another time, a woman ran the red light while I was waiting to make a left turn. The light was already red for a second or two, but as I observed that she made no attempt to slow down, I waited, and saw her driving right by the nose of my car. Again, I wish there were a cop there.

And I have seen quite a few blatant red light runners as described above, except that I was not in imminent danger.

So, tell me again why it's not OK to catch red light runners. I think they should be caned, and publicly too, please.

PS. I would even help contribute to the public fund, if they let me be the caner. I will pay up to $100 per stroke, but the cane must be of my choice.

 

[growing_older]

Ah, driver assistance is something that is easier, cheaper, and safer to achieve.

Interesting, because I think such features are far more dangerous than a full self driving car - which still has a lot of problems before it can be safe. Aside from a few isolated instances, such as cruise control that only regulates speed or the self parking feature that makes a parallel parking into a space directly behind and right of the current position, the halfway driving assist such as lane following invites driver inattention but expects the driver to be ready to assume full control at any instant. Even a one second lag before the driver takes over could be disastrous. It seems too difficult to expect drivers who already have problems with keeping attention on the road to maintain hypervigilence when the auto features are actually driving. Instead their attention is likely far away as they only semi-drive and are unlikely to snap back to full control exactly when needed every time.

 

[splitwdw]

IF! they reduced accidents, I might buy into them. However, all they've done is change the type of accidents into read-enders, often resulting in an increase in the overall number of red light related accidents. When added to the quotas included in the contracts with the private companies that supply and administer the cameras, resulting in situations like shortening the yellows, it turns what might have been a good idea into a typical bureaucratic fubar. I vote no.

They reduce accidents overall in our area where there are cameras. Timing requirements for traffic lights are set by my state's Department of Transportation not the company installing the camera. When people know that there is a camera at the intersection, they slow down when approaching the light which reduces running the light or getting rear ended. You are suppose to slow down when approaching a traffic light, anyway, not speed up as most people do. If you slow down when approaching the light and not slam on your brakes, the person behind you has no choice but to slow down too.
Oops, forgot this was about self driving vehicles and not traffic cameras.

 

[HFWR]

I am all for it. Computers are reliable now and I have never had one cra

Now where's <ctrl><alt><del>?

 

[HFWR]

How about removing LEOs from sneaky-assed "speed trap" duties, another primarily revenue-raising activity, IMV, and posting them at traffic signals?

Seems to me running a red light is more dangerous than driving 40 in a 35 zone...

 

[MRG]

When I was a patrol officer that was the number one cause of accidents. No specific violation like speeding, DWI, or red lights (although those certainly contribute to the total) caused more than plain old simply not paying attention.

MD does have a statute on that - "Failure to pay full time and attention to driving" - but of course it is impossible to tell if someone is zoned out just by looking at them through a car window. Unless like one idiot who had a book propped up on the steering wheel on the interstate. And when I wrote him the ticket he had the audacity to whine "But I wasn't speeding!"

Some people will never get it.

Readers, shavers, eye makeup, hair styling, texters. All should be treated the same as a DUI IMHO.

It's amazing what you see happening in other cars. Oh, I'm probably not paying attention.

 

[travelover]

...........It's amazing what you see happening in other cars. Oh, I'm probably not paying attention.

If only you could see what heavy truckers see.

 

[Mulligan]

I can see cases where a strict adherence to speed limits can cause problems. But a computer can be programmed to allow exceedance for a short time, but not for minute-long stretches. And to avoid cutting power while our drag racer is trying to pass, the computer can make an aural warning before actually doing it.

I know, I know. Before long they will figure out how to disable that limit.

So, any big brother watching function has to be external to the car. I feel fairly strongly about red light photos due to personal experience. My wife once got her car totaled by a guy running the red light in a pickup. Thank goodness she was not hurt. I will not go into details here, except that we had reasons to believe he did it on purpose so that he could sue for money, and he did. There was no witness, so my wife was automatically at fault, and he collected.

Another time, a woman ran the red light while I was waiting to make a left turn. The light was already red for a second or two, but as I observed that she made no attempt to slow down, I waited, and saw her driving right by the nose of my car. Again, I wish there were a cop there.

And I have seen quite a few blatant red light runners as described above, except that I was not in imminent danger.

So, tell me again why it's not OK to catch red light runners. I think they should be caned, and publicly too, please.

PS. I would even help contribute to the public fund, if they let me be the caner. I will pay up to $100 per stroke, but the cane must be of my choice.

I am glad there is someone else who believes being caned is the answer for punishment! And Im not just thinking red light violations either....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dallas27]

I think self driving cars will result in a whole lot more couples being frisky on the road.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[HFWR]

I think self driving cars will result in a whole lot more couples being frisky on the road.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

Yeah, no need to be in the front seat if you're not driving. And long road trips can be boring...

 

[Dash man]

I wonder if more people will get motion sickness.

 

[Walt34]

I think self driving cars will result in a whole lot more couples being frisky on the road.

Remember how the blackout in NYC is often deemed a cause for the high birthrate nine months later? "Well, there's nothing else to do...."

So yeah, that could happen.

 

[ls99]

I think self driving cars will result in a whole lot more couples being frisky on the road.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

Got to be flexible in back seat of car the size of Prius.

 

[harley]

I read an article a few years ago that talked about how cars were going to change. They were talking about things like joystick controls instead of steering wheels and gas pedals, as well as highly assisted/automated driving. But one of the most interesting things was the concept of basically owning just a chassis, and being able to have replaceable bodies, depending on what you wanted/needed at the time. A regular car for commuting, but pop that off and pop on a pick up truck body for hauling. I know there are other limitations regarding power and such, but it would be nice to be able to pop on a van body for a long trip, so you could stretch out in the back and rest (or whatever). I suspect I'll have to keep waiting for that concept, just like my flying car.

 

[HFWR]

Cop pulls over Google self-driving car, finds no driver to ticket - CNN.com

 

[Another Reader]

After looking at all the parking/public transit options for a trip recently, I concluded I wanted to get to the airport in my self driving car, send it home with my cell phone, and have it waiting at the curb for me when I got back.

 

[Bikerdude]

I would think we will see this for Interstate Hwy travel fairly soon (2020) but if I cannot control the speed it would be dangerous traveling the at the posted speed limit where I live.

 

[samclem]

If these cars aren't programmed to go at a reasonable speed, they will cause a lot of accidents (just as slow drivers do now). And, the other drivers will get the blame for the accidents while the "safety minded" programmers extol the virtues of turtledom (as the Google guys are doing now).

 

[sengsational]

I thought the article would say "the automation system knew that the light ahead would be red when it got there at the current speed, so slowed down so that it wouldn't have to stop"

 

[harley]

If these cars aren't programmed to go at a reasonable speed, they will cause a lot of accidents (just as slow drivers do now). And, the other drivers will get the blame for the accidents while the "safety minded" programmers extol the virtues of turtledom (as the Google guys are doing now).

I tend to agree. IMO slow drivers are by far the biggest danger on the highways. I think once all cars are self driving it won't be a problem, and it's entirely possible speed limits will be raised significantly. But while there is a mix of manual control and self driving cars, the self driving cars have to be able to move at the average speed of the cars around them. Slower than the fastest is fine, but not slower than the slowest. And definitely not the speed suggestion they put on that little white sign on the side of the road.

 

[LOL!]

Folks in Mountain View are used to the self-driving Google cars so much that they are starting to tease them and play with them. Note the comment in the article about pedestrians looking to see eyes of the driver and hand wave of car or pedestrian. This does not happen with these cars. Also note the comment that the cars are "timid".
Driverless Google car finds itself in world's most viral traffic stop - San Jose Mercury News

 

[zinger1457]

I would think we will see this for Interstate Hwy travel fairly soon (2020) but if I cannot control the speed it would be dangerous traveling the at the posted speed limit where I live.

As I recall from the recent 60 Minutes story on this subject both Cadillac and Mercedes Benz expect to have self driving capability available in one of their 2017 models. It won't be full automation, just the ability to turn it on for specific roads like highways.

 

[Mulligan]

Cop pulls over Google self-driving car, finds no driver to ticket - CNN.com

I listened to the link. Ford has built a fake town with everything but people living there to work on their production model. That was weird looking. I imagine they are forced to though as this innovative device from Google and others could really put the traditional auto producers in a bind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bikerdude]

I listened to the link. Ford has built a fake town with everything but people living there to work on their production model. That was weird looking. I imagine they are forced to though as this innovative device from Google and others could really put the traditional auto producers in a bind.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It seems what the auto makers fear is that when self driving auto's are implemented there would be less need to own a car. One would just have an app on their phone and make a reservation to be picked up and dropped off. This would certainly mean less cars sold.

 

[aja8888]

It seems what the auto makers fear is that when self driving auto's are implemented there would be less need to own a car. One would just have an app on their phone and make a reservation to be picked up and dropped off. This would certainly mean less cars sold.

Self driving car would work well for bar patrons who need to get home without attracting the law for a "blow test".

Other than that, I see little practical consistent value for one. Places that have very little traffic and very low speed limits may be candidates, or in communities where a lot of assisted living is prevalent. Maybe a place like the one in central Florida where 100,000 oldsters live (can't recall the name) would be a good use of the car.