Cory Doctorow imagines an autonomous car future

[evp]

this. | Car Wars

A lot of good questions interspersed with a worst-case scenario.

My conclusion: I want a steering joystick in my autonomous car with a dumb-switch to override the computer.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I happened upon this short story through an email from Eliot Peper, the science fiction author, and wondered if anyone here was talking about it. It was a really interesting read. Having the polls mixed in for immediate reactions to each chapter was a fantastic touch, especially when paired with the opinion of one of the University's researchers stuck right next to your own (often in stark contrast).

 

[JeffK]

I want the ability for the autonomous cars to drive aggressively... I guess there's always roborace, if that takes off.

 

[bro1999]

Autonomous pizza delivery in the future could go down like this:

You place order for a veggie large pizza with your phone.
30 minutes later you see the autonomous pizza vehicle park outside your house, but no one comes out.
Eventually, you go out and see why the "driver" isn't bringing your pizza to you.
You look in the window and notice the delivery dude is dead....because he suffered some medical emergency en route.

Now the important question: Is your pizza free if this happens?

 

[JeffK]

Autonomous pizza delivery in the future could go down like this:

You place order for a veggie large pizza with your phone.
30 minutes later you see the autonomous pizza vehicle park outside your house, but no one comes out.
Eventually, you go out and see why the "driver" isn't bringing your pizza to you.
You look in the window and notice the delivery dude is dead....because he suffered some medical emergency en route.

Now the important question: Is your pizza free if this happens?

This would make very boring pizza delivery guy porn... Do you invite the autonomous car in when you don't have the money to pay?