self driving cars can't be all bad?

obi_waynne

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I note that the uk's first self driving car is about to hit the street.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21462360

What are your thoughts on self driving cars?

I guess this is a logical move up from self parking cars and could make the roads safer.
 
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I have seen examples of this in a BMW promotional video, it looked impressive that's for sure but I'm afraid it is not for me. Maybe when I'm about 80 ask me again.
 
It sounds about as entertaining as hitting my nuts with a hammer. I'm sure there's a market for such cars, there's probably a market for the hammer and nuts persuasion too but neither interest me.
For people like us, on a car forum, the pleasure of driving is a dominant factor in our lives. Can you imagine being chauffeured by the mother in law because it's her self appointed duty ?
All sorts of thoughts enter my fragile mind. Thankfully, I'm no longer married and she who would be the mother in law can't drive anyway.
 
Makes me nervous, how safe are those going to be after a good few years when the wiring and sencors get old, we all know electrics fail at some point, we all know people are going to take advantage of the technology [ take a nap on long roads cause car is driving itself or fall asleep due to boredom ]. You do the maths.!!!
 
A few years back (and this MIGHT be anecdotal) there was a case in the USA where the driver of a large motorhome had set the cruise control on an interstate, departed the driving seat and gone to the accomodation part of the vehicle to make a drink.

The vehicle crashed. Unsurprisingly. The driver apparently sued the manufacturer successfully, to the tune of about $2,000,000 (yes, that's two million dollars) because it wasn't clear in the vehicle's handbook that cruise control is only a speed hold system.

Now, if I were the judge, and had awarded that driver damages to the tune of two million dollars, I'd have also asked that the driving license was handed over and revoked permanently.

Do we have to protect people from their own stupidity? It appears we do......

Food for thought folks
 
I remember that case, staggering really. This is the way of the modern world though, where the stupid people are wrapped up in cotton wool to prevent them from self harming but at the expense of freedom of everything else for those who have common sense.
You know how the future is panning out when everything we do has to have a risk assessment done before a Council will grant a license for even the most mediocre of events.
Schools are terrified of taking kids on outings or letting them play too much in case someone gets hurt and sues them, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah !
I might go and read the data on a toilet roll to see if I need to do a risk assessment before every wipe or just on a weekly basis.
 
Google has been experimenting with self driving Toyota Prii over here (Prii is the appropriate plural of Prius according to Toyota). I can't stand the idea of a self driving car. I rage when I see a car with an automatic transmission, nevermind a car that drives itself. Google has actually said they want these on the road available to the public within 8 years. The days of being able to drive your own car are coming to an end sadly.
gty_google_car_kb_130201_wg.jpg
 

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