Google testing cars that drive themselves...

[kyrathaba]

Did you guys see this?

Mashable article

[Renegade]

Hmmm... We've been hearing about this for a long time. I'm not so sure it will pan out like people think though.

Rain, sleet, snow, ice, wind, and other environmental conditions will be massive barriers.

But it is certainly very interesting, and I really hope that this stuff pans out well. It would save me a lot of stress and curse words while I drive.


BTW - I just noticed the sig in your left-side profile. Very cute! Here's a C# port: while(!horse.dead){horse.beat();}

[CWuestefeld]

I'm with Renegade. They've only solved the (relatively) easy part of the problem so far.

Their tests so far were just on dry pavement, as far as I can tell. But I would expect that given proper data (accelerometers for detecting unanticipated yaw and impending hydroplaning, input from wheel speed sensors to detect slippage, visual input to detect e.g. approaching ice) that the problems of inclement weather could be handled. In the long run, I bet the computer can do it better than a person thanks to its fast reaction time and immunity to panic. In principle, the computer could also have discrete brake inputs for each wheel (or at least each of two brake lines), allowing for finer control than is possible with just one brake pedal.

I think the biggest challenge is noticing and interpreting the "body language" of other drivers, in order to anticipate problems and thus avoid them before they become critical. Frequently a human can tell that someone is about to change lanes, just by observing the way that other driver behaves. The same is true for other behaviors.

[KynloStephen66515]

If its running Windows OS, or anything CLOSE to Windows...god help us all

[kyrathaba]

Google has tested several such cars in California, and the only mishap that occurred in 140,000 miles was one of the self-driving cars being rear-ended at a stoplight.

TechNewsWorld link

[Mark0]

Here another couple of links / video I have collected when discussing about this on another (Italian) car forum.

The New York Times - Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic



YouTube - Google auto driving car
YouTube - ABC News gets taken for a spin in Google's self-driving Toyota Prius

A thing that give some perspective: every year there are about 1.200.000 deaths on the roads.
Accidents with severe injuries would probably be an enourmous number.
Make one thinks that there's a good probability that a bunch of computers can do a better job, in the not so distant future...

[Mark0]

- duplicated -

[Perry Mowbray]

But it is certainly very interesting, and I really hope that this stuff pans out well. It would save me a lot of stress and curse words while I drive.

As I was explaining it to my brother over the weekend... it would also be extremely beneficial to people who could not normally drive because of some handicap (my brother has 3 down syndrome sons, and their transportation is a constant issue because public transport does not go everywhere they need to...). Similar to another project Google's recently funded: The Shweeb -- on the Shweeb even blind people would be able to cycle to work and even people not able to cycle would be able to be pushed along without extra effort!!

[kyrathaba]

It's amazing what sort of world our children will be living in, when they get to be our age!

[KynloStephen66515]

what happens if a pidgeon empties its bowels on the screen, directly in front of the camera?

Might seem daft, but its a reasonable question.

[Mark0]

I speculate:
- The auto-robot will try to activate the wipers
- If the problem persist, it will log the fault condition, negotiate the side of the road, turn the hazard light on, send SOS and turn off!  

In the near future, the optics will be outboard, with a dedicated simple cleaning system like the one on sport cars camera-car.
At the present time, it will probably simply warn of the fault condition, the pilot take control, stop, clean, restart.

[KynloStephen66515]

I speculate:
- The auto-robot will try to activate the wipers
- If the problem persist, it will log the fault condition, negotiate the side of the road, turn the hazard light on, send SOS and turn off! 

In the near future, the optics will be outboard, with a dedicated simple cleaning system like the one on sport cars camera-car.
At the present time, it will probably simply warn of the fault condition, the pilot take control, stop, clean, restart.

There are multiple possible reasons for failure, and until every single one of these has been addressed I don't they should be allowed on public highways.

[Mark0]

And that's also what the "road law" of many states / nations think too.
Luckly for Google (and for the evolution of similar systems), in California they are "in the law" as long as there's a pilot behind the wheel all the time, ready to take control.

Of course the liability in case of problems and accidents also is on the pilot.
Personally, I admit I don't know if I would like to be the person on that seat...

[KynloStephen66515]

Personally, I admit I don't know if I would like to be the person on that seat...

or within a 6mile radius of that vehicle at time of motion.

[Mark0]

Not really. I would trust the Google car in its present state (with a human behind the wheel just in case) far more than the majority of motorists around every day (probably me included, from the point of view of someone other)!  

In one of the video above it correctly signaled the right turn/exit, for example, something many pilots seems to consider highly optional around here...

[kyrathaba]

There are multiple possible reasons for failure, and until every single one of these has been addressed I don't they should be allowed on public highways.

Same can be said of people

I would trust the Google car in its present state (with a human behind the wheel just in case) far more than the majority of motorists around every day

+1

[Perry Mowbray]

I think once apon a time with aircraft many of the fault remediation processes were manual, but now they are mechanical often controlled and/or initiated by software.

As this develops I can't see a reason why the same can't happen with motor vehicles.

[Shades]

I believe it was Ryan Air (or other 'price-fighter') who wants to get rid of the co-pilot, because the auto-landing systems on passenger airplanes are so reliable and quite sophisticated.

Granted, a car requires a lot more sophistication because of the nature of traffic it is used in. But I would not mind having one of those auto-piloted cars...especially in the congested traffic hours!

[KynloStephen66515]

I believe it was Ryan Air (or other 'price-fighter') who wants to get rid of the co-pilot, because the auto-landing systems on passenger airplanes are so reliable and quite sophisticated.

Granted, a car requires a lot more sophistication because of the nature of traffic it is used in. But I would not mind having one of those auto-piloted cars...especially in the congested traffic hours!

wouldnt shock me if its Ryan Air...the same airline also wants to abolish seating on flights...so passengers would have to stand, so they could reduce the weight from removing seats, and cram in more people (Sounds dodgy to me) - Also defies the safety instructions..."Make sure your seat is in the upright position and your seatbelts are fastned"...I HAVE NO SEAT BELT...I HAVE NO SEAT

[Mark0]

That thing about seatings was just a joke / piece of viral marketing / publicity stunt by Ryanair!  
Some reference:

BBC News - Are standing seats a standing joke?

The copilot story is probably the same thing; Michael O’Leary have probably found that every time it makes some outlandish remarks in an interview, it gets more tickets in the subsequents few days!   Most of journalists seems quite adept to spread the news without even basic fact checkings, nowadays, and so they play his game.