What are your thoughts on self-driving cars?

2015-10-20T19:27:24-04:00

Google is working on them. Apple is rumored to be. Big Auto almost certainly is. Here's my thoughts:

They're going to happen, that's inevitable. Humans operate at meat-speed (the firing of neurons and the closing of synapses in a biological medium that severely, through the limits of physics, resistance, chemical reactions, and a whole host of other factors, limits the speeds at which we can react), while even non-AI computers operate at near-light speeds (CPU's operate on electricity, which WOULD be light-speed in a vacuum, but still has to contend with minute amounts of resistance, conductivity, and heat, etc, etc. Still, it's vastly faster than meat-speed). Bottom line? A cpu-driven vehicle with the appropriate sensor suites (radar, sonar, proximity, etc etc) will ALWAYS react faster to perceived inputs than a human can, barring malfunction or tampering. This will eventually directly translate to your car being a better driver than you can ever hope to be and thus, greater safety. Of course, the 'herd immunity' concept that comes into play with vaccinations will also play a large part in a fully-automated traffic system: for the best safety, everyone will have to be 'innoculated', aka, machine-driven vehicles. It does my self-driven car little good when some drunk fucker decides to play bumper cars, though even then, there might be some mitigation as my car tries to avoid it.

I understand that the concept is counter-intuitive, particularly for those of my generation (Gen X) or older, and will take some getting used to. Nearly everyone is going to think "I can do better than a machine". But the simple fact is...no. You can't. At least not a properly developed, equipped, and programmed one. Google's experiment has driven 1.7 million miles with only 11 accidents over 6 years...and all of those were caused by humans. (As of May 2015).

Self-driving vehicles are GOING to happen. So. What are your thoughts? Pros? Cons? Do you agree or disagree?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 20 at 2015 8:35 PM

2015-10-20T20:35:04-04:00

To be honest SN Greg Wright, I think once self driving cars become popular and distributed they will make a wonderful opportunity for hackers as well low-budget terrorists.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Oct 20 at 2015 8:37 PM

2015-10-20T20:37:42-04:00

Inevitable, lower errors, more lives saved, safer, lower cost. I fail to see downsides.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 20 at 2015 8:38 PM

2015-10-20T20:38:54-04:00

I hear what you are saying and to an extent, I agree, but deep down inside...
A mega accident waiting to happen at blinding speeds...

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Oct 20 at 2015 8:53 PM

2015-10-20T20:53:24-04:00

I suspect that the technology for self-driving cars soon will be adequate for certain situations (self parking, freeway caravans - multiple cars traveling as a group in closed lanes, etc) and will quickly improve until point-to-point self driving is feasible. I'm all for it. Once upon a time I loved to drive. I took great pride in my skill as a driver on motorcycles as well as in cars. However, those days are past. The roads are crowded. People are becoming belligerent behind the wheel. There are few open roads. Modern interstate highways may take advantage of the scenery but they bypass all of the interesting places. So, self-driving cars? Bring 'em on...

Response by SPC George Rudenko made Oct 20 at 2015 8:59 PM

2015-10-20T20:59:58-04:00

My car, 2016 Jeep Cherokee almost can drive itself. Has a ton of smart tech. I can see it happening in 15-20 years.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Oct 20 at 2015 9:08 PM

2015-10-20T21:08:24-04:00

SN Greg Wright I'll take one please....

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2015 10:05 PM

2015-10-20T22:05:18-04:00

I did service work in a number of factories that used AGVs (Automated Guidance Vehicles). When I was working I stayed well out of the way of towmotor drivers. I was comfortable working with a foot or two of an AGV lane. It took me a long time to get used to them, but once I did, I realized I was much safer with them than humans and forklifts.
What will cause trouble with the implementation will be what happens when an auto guided vehicle looses track, and stops where it is? Because that is exactly what it will do. Stop as fast as is physically safe. How quickly will its human passenger catch on, and move the thing off the road before a NON guided vehicle checks to make sure the laws of physics still work by slamming into the back of it?

Response by PO2 Peter Klein made Oct 20 at 2015 10:47 PM

2015-10-20T22:47:31-04:00

Probably inevitable. The software has to make them lots better than some of the idiots I see behind the wheel now.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Oct 20 at 2015 10:54 PM

2015-10-20T22:54:32-04:00

SN Greg Wright there is a growing field of telematics (Verizon - Hughes, AT&T, Boeing, etc) to build on the in car safety systems and other automated controls.
I think we will see significant safety improvements in driver assist (traction control, automatic braking, lane control, visibility improvements) and when combined with Sat and mobile networks they can automate most tasks.
Lets hope it leads to safety improvements and reduced insurance costs.
Companies will be trying to cut drivers and transportation costs drastically.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Oct 21 at 2015 12:14 AM

2015-10-21T00:14:32-04:00

As my daughter secured her driver's license yesterday, I'm 100% in favor of this technology!

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 21 at 2015 3:29 AM

2015-10-21T03:29:45-04:00

I'm an IT professional and I love technology. However, there comes a time when we become a little too dependent on it, and I fear that Skynet is going to take over. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to fashion a new tinfoil hat.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2015 7:41 AM

2015-10-21T07:41:44-04:00

There is no downside ... eventually driving will be like biking ... no longer a necessity but just for recreation.

But .... when government play a hand into it ... it will become a monster ...

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2015 8:39 AM

2015-10-21T08:39:17-04:00

SN Greg Wright The auto car like any technology has its pros and cons. There are aspects I think would be great but this presents and opens a whole new set of problems. Look at the hacking of vehicles for one, you are toddling down the freeway to visit grandma and someone hacks into the vehicle and takes what control you might have had away...

I have also read a couple of DoJ reports discussing the concern that automated vehicles could easily be adapted to become a VBIED delivery service.

I think this will happen, but it may take longer than Google anticipates.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2015 9:37 AM

2015-10-21T09:37:26-04:00

With all that greater reaction time, I feel as though the systems are going to die faster. We may react slower, but it's not quite as likely for us to just die mid drive and go straight into a wall or another vehicle. I enjoy technology, and I'm impressed by things like this greatly, but I just can't put that much trust into it.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Oct 21 at 2015 1:46 PM

2015-10-21T13:46:19-04:00

SN Greg Wright You can keep them,Greg,i am too old to even think about them.I still have trouble making my phone work properly. LOL

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2015 2:47 PM

2015-10-21T14:47:59-04:00

I'll tell you this right now. We started hearing about these things 3 years ago when I started working in insurance. To be honest, insurance companies are still trying to figure out how to handle claims that will involve these. Do you blame the occupants? Do you blame the programmer? How do you prove who the programmer was in a timely manner in order to resolve a claim?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2015 2:52 PM

2015-10-21T14:52:38-04:00

Personally i can't wait till the majority of cars are driven by computers, as long as there is still the option to manually control as well. But would greatly decrease the need for accidents related to tired or drunk drivers. Wouldnt it be great to just hit the auto trasport button after a night at the bar instead of having to call a cab.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Oct 21 at 2015 3:45 PM

2015-10-21T15:45:37-04:00

hhhmmm? Not sure about this yet. I'll have to give it some thought and see how it progresses.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Oct 21 at 2015 3:47 PM

2015-10-21T15:47:52-04:00

I would rather have hovering cars...now that would be really KEWL!

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Oct 24 at 2015 11:19 AM

2015-10-24T11:19:21-04:00

I'm a Geek! I can't wait but still think there are plenty of kinks to work out. I'm still having fun arguing with the Lady in my GPS. She Knows one Route and I know better ones.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2015 9:23 AM

2015-12-23T09:23:56-05:00

As an IT professional I can see the vast amount of good it will do, and I don't think that anyone can argue with that. However I currently live in a region that during the winter months we get a lot of adverse weather conditions. If I were to be willing to purchase a self-driving car, it would still need to give me the ability to manually take over in the event of such conditions. Still when I first saw this conversation the first thing that came to mind was Will Smith in Irobot. Also A1C Nathan Roberts when it comes to the insurance aspect you will have to create a device (a little black box) if you will. To connect to a laptop to pull the cars log files. I can't imagine that with this vast of a system we are looking at that the programmers wouldn't be required by law to digitally sign and time stamp their product. So the first things you should be able to see when reading this system would be the programmers company name, and ID number. Secondly you will be able to see is the log file for manual takeover by the occupant. If in fact the occupant had not controlled the vehicle manually then you truly could not hold them at fault for the accident itself. This is where these companies will have to screen their programmers, and just like every IT company come out with scheduled updates to combat hackers and viruses. But it does seem doable. I am all for it as soon as I see that there is this or some other type of security put in place to ensure that my family is safe using them.