California sets rules for self-driving cars

[GrySql]

FTA:

"California unveiled precedent-setting draft rules Wednesday that would slow the public's access to self-driving cars of the future until regulators are confident the technology is safe.

That cautious approach requires that the cars have a steering wheel, and a licensed driver must be ready to take over if the machine fails."

 

 

http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_29262038/california-self-driving-cars-must-have-driver-behind?source=rss

Edited December 17, 2015 by GrySql

[Texasota]

Seems very sensible to me. Having worked in the software engineering field for more than three decades I have seen software failures resulting from pure incompetence and also from a combination of seemingly impossible circumstances that no one could have ever imagined or anticipated. When these autonomous cars start hitting the roads I predict we are going to see some spectacular failures and likely loss of life.

[Hybrider]

... When these autonomous cars start hitting the roads I predict we are going to see some spectacular failures and likely loss of life.

 

But remember, we are currently seeing those same results with human drivers and their manually operated cars. :-O

 

Edit: The idea behind the auto cars is to reduce the occurrences of failures and deaths, but probably will not eliminate them entirely.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Hybrider

[Texasota]

An interesting and timely article in regards to this thread:

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-18/humans-are-slamming-into-driverless-cars-and-exposing-a-key-flaw?cmpid=yhoo.headline

[CCalvinN]

 

But remember, we are currently seeing those same results with human drivers and their manually operated cars. :-O

 

Edit: The idea behind the auto cars is to reduce the occurrences of failures and deaths, but probably will not eliminate them entirely.

 

 

I'm not sure I agree that the idea behind the auto autos is to purely reduce accidents and deaths. I think a major part of the autonomous vehicles is to increase convenience.

[machoman1337]

Seems very sensible to me. Having worked in the software engineering field for more than three decades I have seen software failures resulting from pure incompetence and also from a combination of seemingly impossible circumstances that no one could have ever imagined or anticipated. When these autonomous cars start hitting the roads I predict we are going to see some spectacular failures and likely loss of life.

 

So far Google's self driving cars have never been at-fault in any of the few accidents where they were involved.

 

If everyone on the planet switched to a self-driving car right now, there would definitely be a colossal reduction in accidents (and probably in the revenues of insurance companies). The real challenge right now is teaching a self-driving car how to react if an idiotic human triggers something but then again I don't have much faith in the average human reaction either.

 

Unlike stupid humans, autonomous cars don't consume alcohol, smoke pot, or text on cell phones while driving. Autonomous cars don't rush into intersections without stopping to look. Autonomous cars don't tailgate people in wet conditions. Autonomous cars don't change lanes without looking. Autonomous cars don't drive on the wrong side of the road. You may not be able to fully replicate human intelligence, but you can surely avoid replicating human stupidity :)