Driverless cars "stable as Windows"

I had to laugh when 75% of those polled said they do not want driverless cars. One statement said it all "they might be as stable as Windows".

I guess many have had bad experiences with automobile automation. My BMW motorcycle has been flawless since 2006, so full computer control can be made to work reliably.

I have been on the freeway with the Google car and it did better than most drivers.

If I can just be sure there is no provision to shut the auto driver off without my consent I am ready to try one.

This group is geekier than the average poll, how do you guys/gals feel?

 

Yes, the Google cars are the safest on the road. I've never seen one get written up for speeding or running a red light or anything like that. Come to think of it, even it did break a traffic law, to whom does the citation get issued? :-D

 

I think they'll become a reality but, it all depends on the public image of the technology. If it fails big in it's first few outings and mows down a bunch of school kids they will be banned faster than leaded petrol.

The thing is as Solaris said the owner of the car will have to be responsible at all times so if the computer does fail control is quickly restored, as in a 747.

I think technology is better used to enhance a human beyond their limitations i.e ABS, traction control, intelligent cruise control and maybe in the near future collision avoidance that makes it impossible to crash the car.

BTW if windows fails it won't accelerate to 100mph and slam into a brick wall.:-D And I'm still waiting for a GPS that doesn't make mistakes let alone a car.

 

I watch out over one of our busiest auto-and-pedestrian intersections and we used have 1-2 bumper-crumplers in the early 2000s. But once cellphones became prevalent, we'll have 2-3 a day now, AND even some fairly bad head-on's (left-turners pulling into traffic, completely oblivious with their cellphone occupying 100% of their peabrained attention).

In the last five years, however, I'm seeing an equally large rise in pedestrian injuries. I've watched cellphone-WALKERS step off into traffic. I've seen them miss the curb and go sprawling. This is always counter to their protestations - "I'm driving/walking JUST AS GOOD when I'm on the phone!" Uh huh... yeah... riiight... well, a few more Just As Good As examples, and they'll be just as dead, cleaning up at least SOME of this planet's idiocies, I suppose. Very Darwinian.

So, when I read about driverless cars being "just as stable as ___", I'm OK - unless they use "...as cellphone drivers/walkers".

 

I need to admit to some anti-social behavior for this story. But I think any who know me here know I am not snow-white.

I managed to bump the Google car in the passenger door with my motorcycle. I wanted to see what it would do and I take a hit pretty well on the bike so I figured it would be safe enough. The reaction from the car was perfect, no change in speed or direction even though I changed lanes and bumped it pretty good. The reaction from the passengers was not so good so I left quickly.

I have taken mirrors off with my shoulder and been bumped over a lane from bad driver reactions when they don't see me. The worst is if they see me, get scared and slam on the brakes. The Google car does not suffer from motion blindness, surprise or road rage. Too bad it will be so long til they are common on the road.

 

I don't think this is a good idea. Frankly, all I can think of is Demolition man, where he crashed because the computer was damaged and wouldn't give control back. I'll stick with my dumb car.

I'm not even getting started on cell phones. I don't even let my passengers turn their phones on. Turn your phone on in my car, and I park on the roadside until it goes off.