The Self Driving Car

[bronsin]

Another indication to me that the world is going seriously nuts is all the fuss about a self driving car. Do any of you want a self driving car? Number One its going to cost a lot of money. Number Two it cant anticipate it can only react. Thus when the commuter train that uses the same road I leave work on is stopped and Im passing it on the left I anticipate someone crossing the road from right to left in front of it as I pass it. AI cant do that. Since it uses radar as its primary detection tool its not going to work very well when its snowing or raining either. Yet the self driving car gets a lot of serious development $$$ and interest.

I welcome comments from anyone who knows more about its development than I do.

[jcboy]

you're almost correct, and though i don't know any more than the average Joe, they can do anticipation only as well as their code authors program it.

in your example, if you saw that pedestrian coming all the way from the right of the train, then the car cameras/sensors should see it too, and be programmed to anticipate it (with simple calculations related to speeds).

the self-driving and flying cars are not unlikely futures of private comuting, but the former poses a question of legal accountability should an accident happen. (the maker or the owner?)

[NYC-SE]

Originally Posted by jcboy

the self-driving and flying cars are not unlikely futures of private comuting, but the former poses a question of legal accountability should an accident happen. (the maker or the owner?)

Don't worry I'm sure the lawyers will sue both.

[jcboy]

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

Don't worry I'm sure the lawyers will sue both.

good point.

[bronsin]

Wow read this article about SDCs! Could they be programed to kill the driver rather than say a child?

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...trols-the-code

[invader166]

Oh yea! In theory, it would actually be possible.

I remember reading a sci-fi book some years back about how even surgeries and medical procedures had become automated. In the story, someone went to have a simple operation done, but ended up being killed when the robot performing the operation was hacked by someone who wanted him gone for whatever reason. No evidence of wrong-doing was ever found and it was ultimatly decided that it was all the result of a programing glitch.

Pretty scary stuff, that's for sure!

[bronsin]

In theory...but what about actual reality?

During the ebola crisis I thought"If I was ISIS Id go to Africa with 10 other people and infect ourselves, then hop a plane to the US and visit supermarkets."

Since Obama didn't prohibit travel between Africa and the US, they could have done it.

But they didn't.

[obretiv]

I would imagine that these automated cars getting hacked would be a great concern. Seems like everything can be hacked into these days, if the hacker is determined enough.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by obretiv

I would imagine that these automated cars getting hacked would be a great concern. Seems like everything can be hacked into these days, if the hacker is determined enough.

Youre right and when I find the article of someone who did just that I'll post it.

[Captain Yaris]

All of the talk about self-driving cars just floors me. To be completely honest, I can't see this becoming anything more than a novelty. If you look at Tesla's car as an example, it's major attribute is that it's completely electric. Look at how long that is taking to catch on. The range isn't that great, power stations are scarce, and the price is prohibitive. The only thing about that car that's special, is that it's electric, which is a very basic proposition in itself. Imagine a large leap in technology like self-driving vehicles and how long that will take to develop, if ever. To add to this, I am a commercial airline pilot. I fly an Airbus which is one of the leaders in automated flight. It's fly-by-wire and for the most part computer controlled, it can even autoland as long as we babysit it and certain parameters are met (Wind cannot be higher that certain speeds, equipment functioning nominally). I can turn off the automation and fly it myself if I would like and we are encouraged to do that actually. We are encouraged to do this because often, computers will break and we are required to then take over for the computers. Often times the aircraft will do some very amazing screw ups that if we didn't intervene would result in disaster. Honestly, I think it's a "pie in the sky" concept and if it ever comes to fruition, I'm buying a horse.

[bronsin]

Seems to me if there's a glitch in a self flying plane...good luck figuring out what's wrong in time.

That Air Frane plane that went into the South Atlantic because the pitot tube failed is a good example.

[Kalispel]

Considering all the distracted/selfish idiots and/or rage-warriors on the road, I understand the theoretical appeal of universal automated driving - but don't think it is going to happen until major advances in AI occur. Not in my lifetime.

[NYC-SE]

It's going to happen and it's going to happen a lot quicker than you think. Doesn't mean we have to like it.

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

It's going to happen and it's going to happen a lot quicker than you think. Doesn't mean we have to like it.

Don't be so sure. This is a far greater challenge than any computer controlled system in existence. A manned round trip to Jupiter is less challenging.

For real effectiveness, we're talking about the need for a level of true AI that doesn't exist yet. For human beings, driving is a very simple task. Ever think of the millions of instant calculations and human judgement calls you make every moment while driving? It's so much more complex than you think.

Think about when you're driving in snow and the massive amount of adjustments you make. Or that ice patch that you can spot on a downward grade and making necessary changes.

How about the tons of traffic interactions you run into such as waiving or flashing someone on. How about navigating through a tight construction zone with activity going on everywhere?

Even if you could figure every conceivable scenario out in the real world, will it be able to do it as fast as human driving? Everyone is always in a rush, I have a feeling automated cars will be very slow because it just couldn't match human to human traffic interaction that makes traffic flow as smooth as it does.

[BLKHILLSGUY]

I think they will eventually be great. I would love to lounge, sleep, relax, etc while I am driven to my destination. Drop me off at the front door and park itself in a bad rain. I stay dry. Plus it will be great for people with mobility issues to get around. A lot of handicapped people are stuck at home and can't regularly get out because they can't drive. So I'm all for it.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

It's going to happen and it's going to happen a lot quicker than you think. Doesn't mean we have to like it.

auto drive in rain/snow is the problem because of radar.

I'm putting on my thinking cap...