OT Self driving cars

[danlb]

I had a beautiful RX7 that was destroyed by a person with narcolepsy. He fell asleep while slowly driving down my street and slowly ran into the back of my car, crushing it against a tree that was in turn uprooted.

Please don't drive with that condition. Please?

Dan

[barracudajoe]

Yes there are bad drivers out there! A lot of them are the result of the "dummying" down I mentioned. In Oregon, they eliminated parallel parking from the driving test years ago. You don't even have back up between a row of cones! Yet when downtown, traffic comes to a halt as some idiot tries to park a Suburban into a spot that would be tight for a Smart Car! After 5 or 6 tries they usually give up and move on but until then, everyone else has to wait! Nobody knows or understands the traffic laws, stop signs are optional, and turn signals must cost extra on cars now a days because most of the cars don't seem to have them!

[Tundra Twin Track]

What a horrible era in the history of industry, people will be locked out of their own vehicles by external means, farmers pay good money for equipment that they "supposedly own" yet their machines are turned off on them in the field because they chose to work on it themselves, little by little the take-over happens - and little by little people allow it to happen ..

Some Ag Machinery manufacturers should focus more on the correct mechanical designs than the electronic gadgetry that so many company's promote.One manufacturer final updated there one model of Harvester for 2020 copying a design from 45 yrs ago.

[danlb]

What a wonderful era in the history of industry, people are driving cleaner, safer vehicles than ever before, and can even unlock those vehicles via external means. Farmers pay good money for equipment that produces record crops with fewer employees.

Yes, these are wonderful times.

Dan

[Noitoen]

In Europe in many cities it's becoming difficult to drive older cars everyday. I have a 1987 Samurai 4x4 which I keep because of the fun it gives me to drive and I can only drive in most of Lisbon on week ends. Most of the city is of limits due to environmental issues. This is the way they will force you to change to modern vehicles.

[A.K. Boomer]

Again by no means a luddite here in fact i'll say it again I love allot of the technologies in recent year vehicles but it's now turning into a small percent of what's actually needed to make a great car --- for great cars look to the 90's, we seriously had it all,
If people are incapable of driving they should not be behind the wheel period, if things are that bad you need to just take it to a care center so you can be monitored and have your butt wiped when needed and turned over once in awhile so you don't get a rash or bed sores....

much more emphasis should be put on actually getting rid of allot of the tech in the drivers seat, distracted driving has overtaken every other accident causing stat including drunks,,, the answer is not to heap even more crap on/in cars to make it easier to be distracted, the answer is to actually do what we used to do - take it seriously and drive the car...

[J Tiers]

..........

much more emphasis should be put on actually getting rid of allot of the tech in the drivers seat, distracted driving has overtaken every other accident causing stat including drunks,,, the answer is not to heap even more crap on/in cars to make it easier to be distracted, the answer is to actually do what we used to do - take it seriously and drive the car...

The primary "distraction" in any car was carried into the car by the driver....... it's the phone. There are plenty of others, like having to fiddle with some "push the button until the parameter you want appears" control on the radio etc, (stupid design, but of course cheaper than a knob).

And, of COURSE you are a Luddite, Ned........ we already knew that.

[Ridgerunner]

I have wanted a self driving car for a long time. I drive 20,000 to 35,000 miles a year, AND I admit to being a bad driver! Two problems, my mind and the car both wander, and I am narcoleptic. So right now I have a Fusion Hybrid with lane keeping, collision warning, blind spot sensors and a warning system for tired drivers that constantly complains about my driving! Another important accessory is my pillow and blanket, because when I get tired I pull over and sleep. The good news is that it takes me under 3 minutes to get to full REM sleep and a 45 minute nap does wonders.

However I now have the ultimate accessory, a Chauffeur, my grandson driving me too and from work. Damn car doesn't complain about his driving!

Your medical condition should be a private matter. However these new vehicles are phoning home and I am sure the information they are getting is quite valuable. Insurance companies are probably willing to pay big bucks for a slice of that pie.

[Bented]

I dream of the day when there are actual fully automated cars, get in the back and ride, I dislike operating vehicles everyday over the same route.

Matter transfer would be a more useful method of transportation.
Beam me to work, Elon Musk is hard at work on this.

[danlb]

There is a reason that rich people seldom drive themselves. I've used town car service several times for airport trips and such. It was really nice to lean back and let the chauffeur handle all the hassles. It's great to ne dropped off right at the door with no need to trek half a mile across a parking lot to get to the shuttle that takes you to a random door at the terminal.

It's well known that I'm firmly on the side of the self driving car team. I don't have a need to drive for "fun", especially when just running errands or routine 1000 mile trips. The Google version of the self driving software+hardware has proven itself to be quite good in both of those areas.

[RB211]

One day I will buy a car for non practical reasons, and it will be for pure joy.