What's The Point Then?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/driverless-car-owners-could-need-a-new-licence-safety-fears-spark-plans-to-introduce-driving-tests-to-ensure-motorists-pay-attention-rather-than-fall-asleep-or-watch-movies/ar-AAvVo8l?li=BBoPWjQ&ocid=mailsignout
PMSL - apparently we'll need a licence to "drive" a driverless car!
"Autonomous vehicle owners could soon be forced to pass a new driving test due to mounting concerns over the safety of the technology." - so why bother if it's so kin dangerous?

[Patsy33]

Money??

[ToraToraTora]

how so?

[Zacs-Master]

I would imagine it’s more to do with insurance than danger.

[Togo]

Haha. Be easier to have a chauffeur.

[ToraToraTora]

so my dream if pub crawling round in my autonomous car is up the pictures then!

[DTCwordfan]

I want an automatic lawn mower if we're going this route....

[fiction-factory]

I'm not sure what you are looking far enough ahead on this issue TTT. Great progress has been made but it will be many years before 100% of cars on the road are 100% self-driving. In the meantime there will be a requirement for 'drivers' to be on standby and for 'drivers' to be tested. If the tests continue, technology improves and issues are resolved we may get to the stage where those inside the can watch films or even sleep andwon't need to pass a test. I think there is huge potential for real gains to be made from driverless cars in terms of safety, improved journey times, reduced traffic jams, less pollution, fewer accidents etc and it's worth pressing on with this.

[RobNorth]

Autonomous cars used en-masse will need a lot of infrastructure.
If the existing technology is that good, why are we about to spend billions on infrastructure and signalling etc. for HS2 which presumably will have highly trained licenced drivers...and run on rails! - early 19th century technology..... Cars are late 19th century technology and have barely changed in a century. The methods of propulsion, control and stopping them is the same as it ever was and they have no infrastructure to speak of, in the main sharing what is there with bicycles, pedestrians, horses and much other just as they have since day one. Politicians the world over are obviously hoping that a few geeks can fix all this with a box of switches screwed to every car, but I fear that they will have a very long and disappointing wait...

[Old_Geezer]

Things will change when the tech is proven and the general attitude is less suspicious of such transport. For now it is the insurance companies who fear the change most.

At present it is all speculation. In reality it is unrealistic to expect human beings to be as alert when they are bored out of the minds with nothing to do but wait for something which is unlikely to occur, as they would be when actually controlling something. No short test will prove anything.

[douglas9401]

It's the UK, of course there will be a licence with accompanying fees.
It's what we do, invent, market, suck the joy out of it then add a tax.

[ludwig]

This is the modern equivalent of having a bloke walking in front of your 'horseless carriage' waving a red flag.
ie it won't last.

[youngmafbog]

Oh it will last. If you have someone licenced then they can be made culpable and have liability.

Plod wont want to loose the 'crime cleanup' rates fro hammering motorists now would they or it might mean they have to attend burglaries and other such boring stuff.

[Old_Geezer]

I doubt it would last, as the industry aren't going to be able to kick-start sales in the market if the owner is expected to sit there ready to correct the auto-pilot (which isn't expected to go wrong anyway) instead of being able to relax as passenger. No sales here whilst other countries are stealing the lead can concentrate the mind.

[youngmafbog]

Other countries will have the problems too.