Will We Get Driver Less Cars Before Driver Less Tube Trains?

[youngmafbog]

http://news.sky.com/story/1425190/driverless-car-trials-begin-across-britain


Seriously though, What are AB'ers views on driver less cars?


I am convinced of the idea - yet.

[janbee]

It will still be a much better driver than I am. At least it will be able to park, something I NEVER mastered, hence the reason I don't drive.
The driverless cars will be handy on a night out though when one is blootered.... Take me home James... hic

[jim360]

I think there's some way to go but there seems to be a bit too much misplaced confidence in human ability over this. Computer-controlled can react faster to changes, don't lose concentration, can react to things that humans don't even see, and so on. The potential is there to drastically reduce the risk of accident. Testing has proved promising so far, with so far no accidents (except one that happened when the human took over...)

On the other hand, there are some catches. The software is, apparently, not quite ready yet in certain circumstances -- most notably, inclement weather -- so I wouldn't want to suggest switching now. Just, to give the technology a chance, to keep developing it, and not to get too caught up in the "but what if it crashes?" argument, while at the same time ignoring all the many failings of our current system.

At the present rate I'd expect driverless cars to be really worth considering somewhere in the middle of next decade.

[Baldric]

//I am convinced of the idea - yet.//

Is that yet, to be followed by a reason
Or do you mean 'not' convinced?

[youngmafbog]

As I said jim 'yet'

Also I wonder how the legal side will cope. Maybe armies of ambulance chasing lawyers will kill this off before it gets going, unless specific laws are drafted in. I bet the insurance companies will also be worried.

/hic/ I suspect that as the car will always have a manual override the person 'in charge' could not be drunk?

janbee, if you cant park or are not confident parking, try one of those park assist cars.

[Baldric]

//The driverless cars will be handy on a night out though when one is blootered.... Take me home James... hic//

Does raise the question of who would be judged to be in charge of the vehicle.

[youngmafbog]

There you go Baldric, now what's your view?

[Gromit]

It has huge implications for employment/unemployment. Think of how many people are delivery drivers, couriers, post, eyc. We could see 5 million jobs disappear soon. What is to happen to those people?

[petal54]

If the cars are driven by mind control,not too sure where I'd end up

[Baldric]

YMB< ou've not made yours clear 'yet' either in the OP or reply to
Jim @ 1304

[ludwig]

// It has huge implications for employment/unemployment. Think of how many people are delivery drivers, couriers, post, eyc. We could see 5 million jobs disappear soon. What is to happen to those people? //

Technology will march on. As I said on another thread if there's a machine that can do your job, then sooner or later you will be replaced by the machine. It's been happening since the start of the industrial revolution, but yes, it does have huge implications.

[retrocop]

Gromit
Will these driverless cars drive up the garden path,knock on the door and say,"sign here please. Parcel delivery". Now that is a "smart" car.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm fine with them in principle. They need thorough testing though. And legalities worked out. But we've been in planes on autopilot before, why would a computer controlled car be a worse prospect ? They need to work well at 90mph not so much just 10 mph though.

[youngmafbog]

Gromit, wont the delivery drivers, couriers, postie be more clobbered by drones?

[Old_Geezer]

Arrhhh airspace clashes !

[Baldric]

Driving is one of the few pleasures left in life, why you would want to hand it over to a computer I don't know. It appears it's symptomatic of our desire to hand over all forms of responsibility in our lives to someone or something else. (not all of us btw) It won't be long before the Human form doesn't need a backbone, there's an awful lot hardly use the one they've got now!

[jno]

Will these driverless cars drive up the garden path,knock on the door and say,'sign here please. Parcel delivery'.

Or will they just leave a message telling you to pick up the parcel at the depot, pretending it was because you were out but actually because they couldn't be bothered carrying it themselves?

[retrocop]

jno
Well that smart car will still have to drive up the garden path, hopefully opening the gate first, and post the non delivery note through the letterbox.

[Ric.ror]

I cannot wait for them - I will be first to test or buy one
Drivers have no idea of the isolation non-drivers experience.
If any smart alec's think learn to drive - well now I don't have to ;-))

[jim360]

Driverless cars surely just means "cars that don't need to be driven by a human, but still can be". I'm sure that those who still want to drive around the country and enjoy the sights will be able to do so. Perhaps even it will be easier to appreciate since you can spend more time looking at what's around you and less having to focus on the road.

[Zacs-Master]

jim, i'm pretty sure that, if it is proven (I believe it already has been by the extensive trials) that driverless cars are safer, then insurance premiums for those who choose to drive will be exorbitant. I do think were talking about 30 / 40 years in the future tho.