Self-driving cars are here!

Google self-driving cars.

I know this is old news (October), but I couldn't find a thread about this using the search bar. Forgive me, and give me the link if this thread is unnecessary!

But if it's not, what is your opinion about all this? I for one think that the savings on the fuel and whatnot are nice, but a 90% of the fun of owning a car comes from being able to actually drive it... duh.

I'm all for future technologies, but I feel there is much to iron out before this becomes an everyday alternative of manual driving.

This has been in development for a while. See, the main reason why it isn't getting released sooner is because of two major reasons:

1. The car has to be able to function everywhere with the same level of accuracy and precision. This means that even if the cars are only serviceable in North America and Europe, then it better be able to navigate all of those roads.
2. Crash avoidance. If it drives itself, it better learn not to hit stuff. This becomes a problem when dealing with other cars and so has had a lot research put into it to avoid being sued.

I for one welcome our new computer overlords.

I wonder when will come self-operating computers?

Exactly 2.1 seconds before the launch orders for all our strategic arsenals, why the question?

edited 31st May '11 5:53:58 AM by RufusShinra

Self Operating Computers? We've already got E.V.I.E. working the stock market and making its/her company's profits steady rise.

Self driving cars couldn't come fast enough for me.

-*Insert sex joke here.*

There is fun in owning a car? Fun in driving? I don't see it.

They could be a lot of help when you get your ass drunk, other than that I'd be too afraid of Artificial Stupidity

Cars that drive themselves?

I AM WAITING FOR PLUTO'S KISS.

Friend Computer is faster than you. Friend Computer is more accurate than you. Friend Computer is a lot more attentive than you. The Computer genuinely is your friend.

edited 31st May '11 7:51:00 AM by Yej

Honestly, this scares me.

I barely accept automatic doors, much less cars.

I trust a well-programmed computer to be more accurate than the average human.

The problem is that the key word in that sentence is "well-programmed".

The other problem is that if a computer driven car crashes even just once, the media will be all over it, completely ignoring the millions of crashes every year from humans.

Humans have the excuse of individuality. We can blame the crashes on the other people, who are somehow not up to par, driving-wise. The car A.I.s would presumably be identical across all cars (of that model, maybe), so one crash would indicate that they all have the exact same failing.

I really like the idea in principle though. Just needs a ton of testing before it's usable.

@Fulcanelli:

Really, you're scared of automated doors?

We have begun to automatize absolutely everything. Is there no end to the laziness, complaceness and decadence of modern humans?

Just the limit to how hard the engineers are willing to work to make everything lazier.

Theoretically, the automization of trivial processes gives us time to do more things that are of interest to us, like learn things or create art. Not saying that we will do that with our extra time, but it's certainly not the case that repetitive tasks on their own make us better people. If something improves your quality of life, it's improving your quality of life.

Of course not. Have a nice day, Citizen.

edited 31st May '11 8:44:15 AM by Yej

But it makes us weak. Soon we will become so pampered that we will become unable to fend for ourselves - what will happen in the case of a nuclear apocalypse? It will not be the wealthy who will survive, only the poor, opressed masses will remain competent and practical enough to live.

Actually, all of this gives me the vibe of a conspiracy of some sorts, but maybe it's just me being a paranoid cynic.

edited 31st May '11 8:50:22 AM by MilosStefanovic

Love everything about this. Human beings very much take driving safety for granted in the US, and we pay for that in a high death toll every year. Education about driving safety is very half-assed, kids see driving as a status symbol and thus want to do it as soon as possible, and they can already do it before they can legally assume most of the other responsibilities of adulthood... it's just a huge clusterfuck mutating off from the typically American idealized idea of independence and freedom. Most other first world countries have LONG since learned to utilize public transportation efficiently. This is the best of public and private, merged together.

Even setting safety aside, there's no reason that this has to make people 'lazy,' any time than cars made people lazier than when they had horses instead. Less time spent doing repetitive tasks like driving means more time you can devote to bettering yourself as a human being by reading a good book or otherwise catching up on the countless new forms of media we have nowadays.

edited 31st May '11 8:55:55 AM by Karkadinn

Glasses make us weak. Medicine makes us weak. Shelter makes us weak. If you're arguing for things that will make us more physically fit and skillful for emergencies, we should abandon all tools, because all of them can be lost. The best sniper in the world can't shoot anything without a gun. If we are using tools, we might as well make good ones.

And how exactly does being able to drive a car in city traffic help us after the apocalypse? There won't be the infrastructure necessary to build cars, and the few that survive certainly won't deal with the same driving environment that we have now.

edited 31st May '11 8:56:28 AM by Clarste

And yet, the very aspect of what's being made automatic is a service that's already trivializing the concept of travel.

Let's face it, Using cars instead of walking everywhere is already pampering people.