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So @errilhl mentioned autonomous vehicles in passing regarding something else but, I have something to say about them..
I will NEVER trust my life soley to a computer driven vehicle. Or even a semi autonomous one. Don't get me wrong. I love computers, but not enough to protect me and make life and death decisions for me.
Autonomous vehicles are making their way into our lives and I feel its scary as hell. Human operated cars and trucks are being incorporated with computers that park for you. That brake for you. That steer for you. Are you freaking kidding me? People don't know how to drive as it is. Now all these gadgets are just making people lazy. Whats the point in getting a license if you don't want to drive? Take the bus, a cab or uber.I take driving very seriously. Its a privilege, NOT a right. I don't text while driving, EVER!. I don't drink or do drugs and drive EVER! My offense for driving is a good defense, and believe me, its saved my ass from idiots killing me numerous times.
So the vehicle is driving down the road. You're texting away completely unaware that the computer driving your vehicle just got the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!!!!! DA DA duuuuuuun..
Now your family is shoveling dirt over your pretty redwood casket.Here's another scenario with no blue screen. We'll call this one, lack of intuition.
Youre going down the highway. Suddenly, a truck shoots into your lane in front of you from 2 lanes over. The autonomous car tries to compensate however, it doesn't really know whats happening and it still crashes into the divider, sending the car, and you, over the divider and into oncoming traffic from the other side, where the vehicle is then hit multiple times by other vehicles.
REAL scenario.... I'd been watching this guy in his truck being an ass on the road and I anticipated him coming over so, when he did, I was ready to avoid a collision, which I did, and saved the life of my wife and I.All these gadgets being put into vehicles are making people pay less and less attention to their driving, because they're thinking the vehicle will do all the work.
"With the latest statistics available as of 2018, in 2015, according to statistics compiled by the Department of Transportation, 3,477 people died and another 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes caused by drivers who were distracted because they were texting or using cell phones".
But now, the car companies want to help those drivers out and give them automated systems so they don't have to pay attention anymore. And those are just the cell phone users, which by the way, the USA leads the rest of the world.
"The United States has the unwanted lead in this problem, far exceeding similar accidents in other countries around the world. An astounding 69% of drivers (aged 18-64) in the U.S. admitted to using their cell phone while driving during the previous month. Compare this to a European low of 29% in the United Kingdom or 59% in Portugal. Our country takes the lead in other potential distractions also, including reading or sending text messages or email messages, at 31% U.S. vs. 15% in Spain."
"Young drivers, under age 20, not only are avid text message users, they make up 27 percent of the drivers in fatal crashes that were attributed to distracted driving. During daylight hours, about 660,000 drivers are using their cell phones or manipulating other electronic devices every moment. This activity increases the risks of becoming involved in an accident by three times over normal risk probability".
Those are amazing numbers. And JUST for cell phones.
They even want to bring in autonomous flying taxis. Yeah right.. If anyone is going to be flying a taxi, its going to be me. I want to be in control, not some mindless computer chip that has no concept of death..
Autonomous vehicles might be OK once there is no longer any human variable involved, but thats not going to be any time soon.
Am I right in saying most planes today are mostly flown on autopilot little input from the pilot?
I know some military planes are fly by wire and if they have computer issues theyd fly like a brick.
The only way cars would do well is if they all went computer. Even then theres always a chance for a glitch.
You are correct. Most commercial aircraft anyway, fly on auto pilot while in the air. HOWEVER, you have a HUMAN pilot and co-pilot right there. I don't think the Hudson plane crash would have gone so well if only a computer had been flying that.
And yes, I love cruise control in my Jeeps. But I'm still paying attention and my foot is still there ready for action.
If humans didnt make mistakes we would not need insurance.
While ill agree its not fool proof, A fully automated traffic line would decrease accidents and speed up travel. Accidents would more than likely only be minor since speed control and computer's picking up errors in the system. Some may be major with system glitches to begin with but eventually most will be worked out over time. There are entire warehouses automated and only overlooked by a few people and they function. The mail system is almost all automated once it hits the main hub. Cars manufacturing is mostly automated. Its just a matter of time. It was envisioned before I was born. Just taking a long time to get there. The first cell phone was in the pilot for Star Trek.
Anything from making cakes to peeling apples is more efficient when primarily done by mass production. And in almost all cases these are ran primarily by automated machines.
I live near a huge city that traffic is a major issue. If done by computer would be near obsolete.
Autonomous vehicles on ordinary roads, not in my lifetime.
Autonomous vehicles on autonomous roads, that's a different matter.Apparently aircraft can takeoff and land themselves but it's not foolproof so that's why the pilots do it. Of course when the manufacturers add anti stall systems that cannot be turned off and has a faulty sensor that's when crashes happen...
i.Probably not in several lifetimes. Its to large a task to complete quickly. Will probably start of as a small city experiment somewhere and slowly branch out. It will have to be forced on manufactures to get rid of old cars. A task that will be close to impossible. Personally I think an automated public transport system would be better if someone could design it. I saw a railway going up in Vietnam. That surprised me. Disney had the people mover in the epcot section. Rather than being forced to pay car insurace, state tags, license fees, gas, repairs, maintenance, Id rather just pay a city transport tax.
Autonomy is already making its way into our lives as I stated. As well as already having autonomous vehicles on the road. Test mode right now, but still. However, the oil companies won't give up their pot of gold easily. Its going to be a VERY long time before they are completely integrated as the only mode of transportation. If ever.
As far as factories, those are repetitive tasks and nothing like a vehicle traversing a road.
Autonomous vehicles are in the testing stages and yes they are the way of the future, there is too much money involved for companies not to go this route just like manufacturers have gone with autonomous robots replacing human workers -they don't call in sick , they don't go on strike for better pay and so on, one robot that has a cost of 80,000 $ pays for it's self in a couple years and does not want a raise. Cabs, uber ,buses and such will go autonomous for the simple fact they won't have to pay a driver $$ they are already testing semi-trucks that are autonomous where a main truck and driver are followed by an autonomous truck.
I might be an old Dragon with many more years/decades/centuries, to go, but I won't ever see a fully autonomous transportation system in place.
My main bitch I guess is the semi autonomous vehicles already on the road.
I mean if they want to help save lives and prevent accidents, then lets put in REAL safety devices that kill cell phone usage and test for blood alcohol level.Well prohibition didnt work. Personally I think alcohol + tobacco kills tons of people and should be illegal like other drugs. I've never seen anything good come from either.
I remember playing with a bus that followed a crayon line. That was like 40 years ago. Pretty sure Skynet today can drive a car within a foot of most places.
Its illegal to drive with a cell here but people still do it. It would be easy for them to govern the speed of cell usage like Pokemon did but it would have to be enforced by the government to be built into all phones and make it a felony to disable it. The pokemon ap would not work diving over 20mph. If you patent that idea I want a percentage but dont tell anyone since Id hate to be in the top 10 most hated people.
I'm not talking about prohibition. I'm talking about things that distract drivers and take their attention away from driving.
Cell phone usage while driving is illegal almost everywhere. Here its been illegal for years, yet they keep on saying there's a warning period every year. Really? Its not a new law. So why keep warning people? Its also a ticket of under $160. I have an idea. Make it $500 for first time, $1000 2nd time on, AND.. Actually ENFORCE THE DAMN LAW!
Driving under the influence is already illegal, but I don't think the penalties are stiff enough. Basically a slap on the wrist and they're out there driving again. And they don't care if their DL is suspended.
Idea, 1 month in jail 1st time. 1 year 2nd time. 3rd time they're gone 5-10 years, and you lose your vehicle each time, period. No getting it back.But I digress... There are blocking apps for like over 10MPH. There are also blocking devices. (illegal).
Here's a point. Its the law to wear a seatbelt. They come standard in every car. Interesting. Me wearing a seatbelt will only save MY life. It won't EVER save yours, or my neighbors or anyone elses. I'm not putting anyones life in danger but mine by not wearing one. Yet its the law and a cop will pull you over in a heartbeat. Anyone else see something wrong with this picture?
So now that my vehicle will park for me, lane correct for me, brake for me, hey, I can spend more time texting and/or have that extra drink. Screw everyone else on the road. I can handle it.
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