Poll: Why do you support autonomous driving?

[Undecided_2]

I want the car to recognise speed signs and slow to the correct speed. The most stressful thing I find driving in the U.K. is the amount of speed changes on roads. When you add in speed guns, speed cameras, speed trap vans, and average speed cameras, coupled with fines and points that stick around for 5-years it makes driving a absolute chore for me rather than enjoyable to travel.

Until all cars are fully autonomous I won’t trust them. There’s no way I want to be in an autonomous vehicle when a drunk/drug driver swerves into my lane. The vehicle I’m in may decide to do something drastic that ends up killing me.

Thankfully, I’ll be to old to drive when that happens or dead from a robo taxi getting confused and hitting me while I’m walking on the pavement.

 

[jeewee3000]

Safety is the big one for me.

Also the way autonomy would provide those uncapable of driving with the freedom that a car offers (not just drunks but more importantly the elderly or handicapped). So huge increase in the access to mobility for all. (Also due to the cost decreases)

And lowest on the list is freeing up the driving time for the driver. I like driving and on my commute I enjoy audiobooks or podcasts so my time is not 'wasted'. Of course it'll be even better to be able to do whatever you want instead of driving, but the current "manual" driving doesn't hinder me that much personally.

 

[Zorch]

Most of the reasons listed in the original poll. #1, 3, and 4 are all big deals.

1) Safer Driving: Lots of people do stupid crap on the road. Texting and driving, driving drunk, not checking blind spots when changing lanes, etc. Once autonomous driving is mature, it has the potential to eliminate most of the "human error" accidents.
2) Driving More relaxing: Yep. I don't think this needs a ton of explanation.
3) Doing other things on my commute/road trips: Big Yep. Whether this means pulling out my laptop and doing work during my commute, or reading a book instead of driving, this has a huge potential to free up time. My workplace and my wife's are currently an hour apart, so at least one of us has to take on a substantial commute. The time that this gives back is a big deal.
4) Going places when not able to drive myself: Extension of #1 - drinking is one obvious use case, but another *huge* one is over the next decade or so as my parents age and their reflexes decline - a functional autonomous driving implementation has the potential to avoid the fights that happen when elderly relatives can no longer drive safely, but insist on doing so because they don't want to lose their autonomy. I'm optimistic that within the next 5 years we'll have true autonomous solutions such that I won't need to have the same fight with my parents that they had to have with my grandparents - I'll just give them my Tesla (or buy them a new one) and let it take care of things.

 

[t3sl4drvr]

Personal chauffeur, drive me to X. Go find a free parking spot. I'll give you a "call" when you need to pick me up.

 

[ThomasD]

Now if only the car could clear the Snow off and dig it's self out of a Snow Bank.

 

[Dewg]

Now if only the car could clear the Snow off and dig it's self out of a Snow Bank.

Isn't that what Optimus is for?

 

[DanCar]

Because:
1. I hate driving
2. I'm very lazy
3. I'm a bad driver
4. Computer should be able to do it better than me
5. Good time to have ex in the back seat

 

[ThomasD]

Self Driving Pickups and Cargo Vans. Order a load of Stone or Building materials Tow and launch your Boat in the Lake or River. Tow your Camper to the Camp site.

 

[voyager]

Add efficiency: mass - space - energy - time. Yup, almost Newtonian.
Roads (we all pay for) are expensive stuff.
Most freeway lanes are twice as wide as most cars.
Most cars are wider than the usually single occupant (driver) is tall.
That’s like moving sideways while the driver is lying across a freeway lane.

Split-lane use in bricklayer formation will be easy for autonomous NTVs.
Will boost freeway capacity at least 50%. Road wear & tear will go down of course.
Dedicated, narrow lanes also an option.

NTVs (Narrow Track Vehicles), by definition lightweight and low-drag, squeeze
more range out of 1 kWh, make it easier to have it operate autonomously
(more than a big SUV or MPV can). May save time... in time.

Below: the driverless car as navigational device itself...