Self-Driving Car: Is it a big deal?

[jeff_adams]

A certain cyclist from Santa Cruz would still be alive today if the tech demoed by Elon would have been available last year.

I wonder how much that accident affected him? Knowing that soon those kind of events could be avoided?

 

[apacheguy]

Well, I'm not sure that the sensors are programmed to pick up on pedestrians and cyclists yet. But they should.

Assist and autonomous have two very different connotations. I definitely wouldn't have any issue buying a Tesla equipped with assist features. Having said that, I'm certainly not ready for an autonomous car. In my mind it seems to go against everything that makes a Tesla so great and fun to drive.

 

[jeff_adams]

Well, I'm not sure that the sensors are programmed to pick up on pedestrians and cyclists yet. But they should.

In the case of that accident, the driver fell asleep and crossed over multiple lines to strike the cyclist going the opposite direction. At the very least driver assist should warn the driver he/she is drifting across lanes.

 

[wallet.dat]

We need cars that can sense motion inside the vehicle when unattended. It's unfathomable that it's 2014 and infants are still being left in hot cars while everybody seems tunnel-visioned in on self-driving cars. Google has acquired Nest. Nest knows a little something about detecting motion and sensing temperature. How about a system that can detect sound/movement in a hot car, turn on the A/C and send out an SMS to the driver (and since it's Google, copy anybody who might be related and/or near by <G>) saying something like, "Hey, did you forget about something in your car???"

This is far more important than self-driving cars, IMHO.

 

[MassModel3]

We need cars that can sense motion inside the vehicle when unattended. It's unfathomable that it's 2014 and infants are still being left in hot cars...

This is far more important than self-driving cars, IMHO.

I absolutely agree 100%. Maybe someone needs to take out an ad in the Fremont daily news with a "Dear Elon" to get this point across and finally get some baby saving technology into one of the world's most high tech cars.

 

[chickensevil]

We need cars that can sense motion inside the vehicle when unattended. It's unfathomable that it's 2014 and infants are still being left in hot cars while everybody seems tunnel-visioned in on self-driving cars. Google has acquired Nest. Nest knows a little something about detecting motion and sensing temperature. How about a system that can detect sound/movement in a hot car, turn on the A/C and send out an SMS to the driver (and since it's Google, copy anybody who might be related and/or near by <G>) saying something like, "Hey, did you forget about something in your car???"

This is far more important than self-driving cars, IMHO.

While I can appreciate that they should consider something along those lines, when you are trying to have the largest impact possible on the number of deaths relating to cars of some kind each year, this is probably low on the list.

http://www.ggweather.com/heat/

So far in 2014 there have been at least twenty-eight heatstroke deaths of children in vehicles; twenty-five confirmed as heatstroke and three are still pending official findings by the medical examiner. Last year, 2013, there were at least forty-four deaths of children in vehicles; thirty-nine which has been confirmed as heatstroke and five which, based upon the known circumstances, are most likely heatstroke (2013 list). In 2012 there were 34 deaths of children due to hyperthermia (heatstroke) after being left in or having gained access to hot cars, trucks, vans and SUV's. Since 1998 there have been at least 634 documented cases of heatstroke deaths of children in vehicles. This data and study shows that these incidents can occur on days with relatively mild (i.e., ~ 70 degrees F) temperatures and that vehicles can reach life-threatening temperatures very rapidly.

This compared to the 33,561 deaths that happened in cars in just 2012 alone. So pretty much in 1 week you have just as many auto-deaths because of accidents as you have heat deaths in the past 16 years combined.

Again, I can appreciate the concern about child safety and such, and it is a problem that could be fixed by smarter cars, for companies trying to get the best bang for their buck (and the consumers) it seems more prudent to solve the 33k deaths a year before they solve the ~40 deaths a year by heatstroke.

 

[MassModel3]

While I can appreciate that they should consider something along those lines, when you are trying to have the largest impact possible on the number of deaths relating to cars of some kind each year, this is probably low on the list.

Sad but true. How many times do we hear about someone driving drunk or someone who fell asleep at the wheel, then hit a family of four head on, killing everyone. Driving assistance or driver alerting upon lane deviation could probably save most of the lives lost in such situations.

Infant deaths get such attention and press because babies are fragile, innocent, and incapable of taking care of themselves, but in the grand scheme of things, saving the most lives is key. So sadly, I have to agree with you in your assessment.

 

[favo]

The regular car (the Google Prius) passed the Nevada driving test, on normal roads, with bicyclists and other random stuff. Just like any other driver.

Interesting article on this in IEEE Spectrum How Google’s Autonomous Car Passed the First U.S. State Self-Driving Test. It was an autonomous vehicle test, not the regular human Drivers' Test, and took place on May 1, 2012. A couple quotes:

... Google chose the test route and set limits on the road and weather conditions that the vehicle could encounter, and that its engineers had to take control of the car twice during the drive.

In smooth, everyday traffic, the Prius worked perfectly. Breslow noted that the car detected and stopped for pedestrians and merged smoothly onto a freeway up to the local speed limit.

The other column shows that Google’s car was not tested on roundabouts. There were similar check[mark]s for railroad crossings, unpaved roads, school zones, and shopping centers. In communication with the Nevada DMV before the test, Google said its policy was to prohibit autonomous operation at railroad crossings that lack signals and for human drivers to take over. It also noted: “[Roundabouts are] particularly challenging, where many drivers don’t know the proper rules in the first place.”

At one point, a bicycle weaved in front of the car. The car backed off before passing the cyclist safely. The Prius also correctly anticipated a pedestrian running across the street. Construction work, however, proved trickier. When faced with a partially blocked-off road, the car switched between autonomous and manual modes and then braked to a halt, requiring Urmson, the safety driver, to take control. Wojcik also recorded that the car needed driver assistance with some turns, although she did not note the circumstances.

I wonder if the car can identify and handle standing water in the road.

 

[GregA]

Terminology aside, I think that a highly capable self driving car that still cleanly hands over to the driver from time to time is totally acceptable.

What's not acceptable is thinking it can handle itself and putting lives at risk.

 

[Reykjavik]

The technology will reach a point where the most dangerous thing it can do is hand control over to the driver. Until then, the driver and the computer will have to work as a team to drive safely.

 

[apacheguy]

Terminology aside, I think that a highly capable self driving car that still cleanly hands over to the driver from time to time is totally acceptable.

What's not acceptable is thinking it can handle itself and putting lives at risk.

But isn't this precisely the direction we are headed? Once we achieve 90% autopilot, then won't folks be dozing off or texting behind the wheel while the car is on autopilot and assuming the car can handle itself?

 

[Saghost]

But isn't this precisely the direction we are headed? Once we achieve 90% autopilot, then won't folks be dozing off or texting behind the wheel while the car is on autopilot and assuming the car can handle itself?

That's where the clean hand off part of the question comes in. Texting while driving, make up, eating are all sometimes called 'distracted driving.'

With a normal car in those situations, the problem is that you ignore the road for a few seconds and pick the wrong few seconds.

With a reliable Autopilot system in that situation, it would tell you it a has a problem and you need to pay attention, and most drivers would drop what they are doing until the situation is resolved.

I'm not sure about dozing. The car might be able to wake you in enough time - or could be programmed such that if it hits a point it can't handle and you don't react inn a measurable way within a few seconds, it pulls over and parks until it gets a human reaction. Both of these depend on the car realizing that the situation is beyond the car's ability several seconds before it reaches the part it can't handle, though.
Walter

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

That's where the clean hand off part of the question comes in. Texting while driving, make up, eating are all sometimes called 'distracted driving.'

With a normal car in those situations, the problem is that you ignore the road for a few seconds and pick the wrong few seconds.

With a reliable Autopilot system in that situation, it would tell you it a has a problem and you need to pay attention, and most drivers would drop what they are doing until the situation is resolved.

I'm not sure about dozing. The car might be able to wake you in enough time - or could be programmed such that if it hits a point it can't handle and you don't react inn a measurable way within a few seconds, it pulls over and parks until it gets a human reaction. Both of these depend on the car realizing that the situation is beyond the car's ability several seconds before it reaches the part it can't handle, though.
Walter

The key benefit of Autopilot is to allow you to be physically relaxed. Since that would tend to allow you to switch off mentally, a good autopilot system should be giving you a stream of information to keep you aware of what's happening. A really good autopilot system could actually help people become better drivers.

 

[WarpedOne]

Any half-good autopilot system should (be able to) warn the driver that conditions are starting to get too bad for it not to function any more.

This "unable to autopilot" does not happen in a split second but gradually.... fog, rain, dirt on the windshield and blurry road signs and banks etc. Autopilot can function solely on supersonic sensors trying to steer away from obstacles. Sure it cannot do it safely a long way using only those sensors but some short time it can. Enough for drive to take over.
Same with camera. Same with radar.

 

[GregA]

But isn't this precisely the direction we are headed? Once we achieve 90% autopilot, then won't folks be dozing off or texting behind the wheel while the car is on autopilot and assuming the car can handle itself?

If the autopilot designers, after a crash, say "you should have been paying attention, you know we're only 90% there!", then it's a failure.

If the autopilot designers, after a crash, say "our video shows we gave you 30 seconds notice, you shouldn't have been sleeping in the back seat, and when the car pulled safely to the side of the road you shouldn't have grabbed the wheel screaming "bloody car, I don't have time to stop, I'm almost back in my seat!" - then that's a good 90% autopilot.

(Edit: of course it shouldn't allow you to leave the seat!)

 

[Reykjavik]

I'd be happy with an autopilot that eliminates accidents in 90% of dangerous situations and triples accidents in the other 10%. That would constitute a 70% reduction in accidents. Of course, realistically the 10% it doesn't cover is likely the more dangerous times, while the 90% is relatively safe.

The point is, if the system results in a net reduction of accidents, that is a good thing, even if it increases the extent to which fools rely on it inappropriately.

 

[Red Sage]

I'm fairly certain that a lot of people feel as if they get in a car and it takes them where they want to go already.

The sign reads 'Don't Drink and Drive'. They read, 'Don't Think and Drive'. Their motto, "Let Me Stop and Think..."

 

[Gynob001]

I can't wait to see what will happen when most cars auto drive. Is Tesla going to be the Optimus Prime and auto bots? Which are going to be the villains? Hydrogen cars? When the winged cars come, would the auto driving cars fight for supremacy?
Would we miss road rage or the cars will be equipped with automatic weapons and will fight it out among themselves? What will happen to the "driver side airbag"? Will it be changed to owner's airbag? What about India where drivers drive in the center and upon eye contact with the opposite side driver suddenly veer to one side? How would cars decide which car should yield? when do I ditch my driver's license? Would it be called owner's license? What if I decide against parking at a particular spot? Would the machine take over my mind?
Pas I wrote in another posting, my car gave me directions 2500 miles away over the ocean and predicted 26 minutes driving time. What if that happens and it drives itself to Toronto?

 

[MassModel3]

I can't wait to see what will happen when most cars auto drive. Is Tesla going to be the Optimus Prime and auto bots? Which are going to be the villains? Hydrogen cars? When the winged cars come, would the auto driving cars fight for supremacy?
Would we miss road rage or the cars will be equipped with automatic weapons and will fight it out among themselves? What will happen to the "driver side airbag"? Will it be changed to owner's airbag? What about India where drivers drive in the center and upon eye contact with the opposite side driver suddenly veer to one side? How would cars decide which car should yield? when do I ditch my driver's license? Would it be called owner's license? What if I decide against parking at a particular spot? Would the machine take over my mind?
Pas I wrote in another posting, my car gave me directions 2500 miles away over the ocean and predicted 26 minutes driving time. What if that happens and it drives itself to Toronto?

You've obviously had WAAAYYYY too much caffeine for one day!

 

[Johan]

You've obviously had WAAAYYYY too much caffeine for one day!

Not caffeine dude. Check out the Tesla Humor thread. Nuttin like some good medical grade to relax after a long shift at the hospital, OB-Gyn?