There Goes Another One.....

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44300952
When will they admit that this whole thing just ain't going to work? Not fatal this time but how many more must die before this whole folly will be stopped?

[jim360]

"It's super messed up that a Tesla crash resulting in a broken ankle is front page news and the ~40,000 people who died in US auto accidents alone in past year get almost no coverage."

[jackthehat]

If they do stop them, what on earth will you find to gloat about next?

[fiction-factory]

Should we also ban cars with drivers due to the number of driver related incidents? How do the figures compare?

[ToraToraTora]

I'll think of something JTT.

[fiction-factory]

Jth - unless you were making a point about a funny alternative

[ToraToraTora]

It is well known in IT circles that a major breakthrough is needed before we are able to program autonomous cars. The problem here is that terms like "autopilot" make people who are stupid think that they car is in fact capable of autonomy. These features should be banned until the required advances in IT are achieved to make the term a reality.

[bhg481]

Super computer programmer TTT admits that he can't program a car to drive itself so believes that no-one else in the world can.

[mushroom25]

it's not far off TTT - at least in an initially limited form. autonomous mode for vehicles is likely to fully appear on motorways to start with; indeed it's been suggested that in the near future, only vehicles with this ability will be allowed to use motorways (framework legislation already exists to make this happen)

[ToraToraTora]

well it's demonstrated regularly bhg. It's not just the programming anyway, it's the sensors and all manner of GPSery. Anyone who works in IT will tell you that you cannot program a robot to make a cup of tea without some pretty rigid pre conditions, let alone drive a car.

[ToraToraTora]

I hope not mush, I ride a bike and I just don't want to get murdered by one of these death on wheels devices.

[ToraToraTora]

US road safety expert: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-44287854/driverless-cars-will-cost-lives-at-first

[SlackAlice]

"major breakthrough is needed before we are able to program autonomous cars." couldn't agree more, but the vehicle in question is 'semi autonomous'. Which means the driver was just as much too blame for not reasserting control.

[ToraToraTora]

yes slack that's why i wrote above: "The problem here is that terms like "autopilot" make people who are stupid think that they car is in fact capable of autonomy"

[New Judge]

The test (and the measure of success) will be to get one to negotiate the Place Charles de Gaulle (aka the Place de l'Étoile, where the Arc de Triomphe sits) in Paris. They can run a test round Hyde Park Corner and when that is successful they can head off to the French Capital.

Over the years many French traffic experts have tried to devise schemes to tame the traffic round that giant roundabout and all have failed, declaring it is best to let drivers get on with it. It is my opinion that there is no software likely to be available in the foreseeable future which will enable a driverless vehicle to safely negotiate that junction and until it is the concept should be restricted to tests on private land such as disused airfields.