UK To Allow Driverless Cars By January 190
rtoz sends this news from the BBC: The UK government has announced that driverless cars will be allowed on public roads starting in January next year. It also invited cities to compete to host one of three trials of the tech, which would start at the same time. In addition, ministers ordered a review of the UK's road regulations to provide appropriate guidelines. ... The debate now is whether to allow cars, like the prototype unveiled by Google in May, to abandon controls including a steering wheel and pedals and rely on the vehicle's computer. Or whether, instead, to allow the machine to drive, but insist a passenger be ready to wrest back control at a moment's notice.
good they have NHS so one some gets hurt (Score:3, Interesting)
good they have NHS so one some gets hurt they not left with big bills while the courts are working out who is at fail and who will pay the bills.
Figures it would not be the US (Score:2, Interesting)
Obviously the US will not have this for some time ("Oh my god, somebody might sue!"), it's nice to see at least some countries see the advantage of cars that can drive themselves better than humans can drive them, even if the self-driving cars are not perfect. I would expect initially they would require a licensed driver behind the wheel, at least until the technology has proven itself.
A Progression of Complaints (Score:5, Interesting)
Once they start to roll, there will be a logical progression of complaints, starting with "They're too slow."
Next will be "They're blocking traffic flow/causing traffic jams."
Possibly among the next bunch of complaints:
"They move erratically/unpredictably"
"They wait too long at/stop too soon for traffic lights"
Most of the complaints will revolve around the simple fact that the autonomous cars will be driving 100% according to the rules of the road, and 95+% of the remaining drivers don't. Things like stopping for yellow lights, driving at the actual speed limit, slowing for merging traffic, properly signalling turns and lane-changes, etc.
In the end, the autonomous cars will reduce traffic jams, as they can intelligently travel in clusters, all in communication with each other, and even vary their routes for volume, all while staying moving at a reasonable clip.
The problem will come in when people deliberately try to mess with them, forcing them into emergency maneuvers by cutting them off for exits (for example), or cutting in front and slamming on the breaks (road rage).
Here's hoping they are outfitted with outward-facing cameras for recording such acts of stupidity.
Re:A Progression of Complaints (Score:2, Interesting)
Some of you talk like this is some new form of freedom you're going to live to see, but I and many like me see it as the complete opposite: It's a freedom being taken AWAY from us, and none of you, in your mad rush towards your alleged vehicular utopia, ever talk about the new problems this is going to create: at the top of my list are hackers, and police. What's going to stop someone from hacking your driverless, manual control-less car while you're in it, and sending it to who-knows-where, maybe into a concrete abutment at high speed, overriding all the so-called 'safeties' built into it? Or just highjacking it to an undisclosed location, essentially kidnapping you, or greeted by someone with a gun, who shoots you, and takes the car? What about police abuse of what will most certainly be a built-in 'safety override' they can enable at will, causing your car to pull over immediately, regardless of the reason why? Or something too many of you don't seem to care about: having your every move tracked, which will just be that much easier for corporations and governments to do when the car is completely automated? Nope, no thank you, I've said it before, I'll keep saying it, you can keep your autonomous/driverless/control-less cars, thank you very much. And by the way I work in a high-tech industry, have my entire adult life, and I do not shun technology or even change, just things that I view a stupid and reckless, and things that ultimately will infringe upon my personal freedom. Anyone who doesn't like my opinion can save their breath, I'm not hearing your arguments, complaints, or insults.
Re:A Progression of Complaints (Score:4, Interesting)
Some vehicles (coaches and buses generally) are speed limited and can't go above 70mph and they don't cause more crashes as far as I know. I reckon that people will soon get used to the conservative behaviour of driverless cars. It's got to be a lot less annoying than some of the hyper-aggressive or distracted drivers.
Re:A Progression of Complaints (Score:4, Interesting)
I, for one, will NEVER ride in or own a vehicle that does not have a steering wheel, foot-actuated throttle pedal, foot-actuated brake pedal, foot-actuated clutch pedal (where applicable), gear selector lever, etc. and I know I'm not alone in this. I don't care HOW foolproof they make them. I will NEVER put my life in the hands of some programmer or team of programmers, not even if they're riding in the car with me.
Have you ever used a train, including a metro train? A good many are electronically controlled (rather than levers etc), and -- especially on metro systems -- many have no more input from a driver than a "ready to proceed" button. Some don't even need the driver to press the button -- usually when there's not a union in the way. Signalling systems have been electronic for ages.
(Yes, cars are a lot more complicated -- but automatic trains have been running since the 1980s.)