Better Programming Needed ?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44355150
"The car moved to change lanes in heavy traffic on a San Francisco motorway last year, according to GM's report, but then aborted its manoeuvre when traffic in the lane it was leaving started moving.It then collided with the motorbike, which was moving into the space the car had been moving out of."
- yep that happens! - at least a fatality didn't happen. Trust me it ain't ever going to work!

[youngmafbog]

"it ain't ever going to work! "

I always err on the side of caution to avoid anything comeing back to bite me in the bum.

Perhaps "it ain't ever going to work in the near future" ?

[ToraToraTora]

YMB, I think we need a major breakthrough in programming which is showing no signs at the moment. Better and better hardware and much much more power but no actual change in software. I'm not ruling it out totally but we do need something beyond linear instruction execution for this to work. When I say never I mean at least a generation maybe two.

[Gromit]

// the motorcyclist was partly at fault for the crash. And a police report did cite him for trying to pass the Cruise car. //

// it ain't ever going to work //
You are welcome to your opinion, but a lot of very smart people are working on this, and a lot of money and resources being used. They wouldn’t be expending $billions and all that effort if there was not a realistic prospect of success.

From the data collected so far, the so called self driving cars are in less accidents than manually driven cars.

[ToraToraTora]

I hope I'm wrong gromit, I want it to work very much but sadly, It's snake oil at the moment.
"From the data collected so far, the so called self driving cars are in less accidents than manually driven cars. " - not proportionately

[Gromit]

The trials at the moment are proof of concept, and they are passing. But it will take a lot more work before they are fully ready. My guess is 5-10 years. But it will happen.
When the death rate from car accidents drop as a result, they will probably try to ban manually driven cars from the highway.

[ToraToraTora]

great, does that mean I can get my car to drive me round all the country pubs and take me home after?

[Gromit]

No.
It is an offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle while drunk even if it is statioary and the engine turned off. That will not change when the car is autonomous.

[youngmafbog]

Unless you have a robot driving it maybe.

The laws may well be that way at present Gromit but no doubt they would change since you can bet your last dollar most of the drunks in the commons (and Lords - and Junker the drunker) would like that too!

[youngmafbog]

"From the data collected so far, the so called self driving cars are in less accidents than manually driven cars. "

The big problem is the interim period. Once all cars are automated then there will be far less of a problem. In the interim someone has to try and program for every lunatic and incompetent behind the wheel and that has got to be virtually impossible with tech at the moment.

"but a lot of very smart people are working on this, and a lot of money and resources being used. "

Same for Cancer for a much longer period but nothing yet. Companies will be playing the long game probably to coincide with when batteries for electric vehicles become useful.

[youngmafbog]

Just out of interest, how will a "getaway" car work?

Will cars just pull over if plod put on the blues and twos?

[ToraToraTora]

"It is an offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle while drunk even if it is statioary and the engine turned off. That will not change when the car is autonomous. " - so what's the kin point then?

[ToraToraTora]

I ride a motorbike I don't want these poorly programmed things to kill me!

[Old_Geezer]

Ultimately it has to change. The whole point is to pass the responsibility for driving to the software chauffeur. Until then there is no point in buying such a car.

[bhg481]

There was an article in our local paper the other day listing the four main causes of death in road accidents. Top of the list was using mobile phone/texting. The other three were driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, driving at an inappropriate speed and not wearing a seat belt. Self-driving cars will remove at least three of those causes.

[ToraToraTora]

perhaps but they will also be the leading cause of death once they are out there wholesale.

[bhg481]

Brilliant logic TTT - you remove the most common causes of death on the road and you're left with a different one. No wonder you were able to join mensa.

[ToraToraTora]

yes but will the figure be smaller? I don't think so, my mensa super intelligence coupled with my knowledge of IT tells me that there will be carnage once this is rolled out wholesale and it will very quickly be stopped.