In the science fiction context, yes but with our present technology it's still an open question on if level 5 automation is possible in a mixed environment of humans walking, biking and driving in a ad-hoc mobile infrastructure within a city like New York.
https://www.techemergence.com/self-driving-car-timeline-themselves-top-11-automakers/

I agree with this. While I believe AI has massive potential it would still be there to assist us mostly.

 

Check this out. Waymo is planning to have a self-driving taxi service on the road by the end of the year in Arizona.

" Intel is building out an electric vehicle fleet with Champion Motors and the Volkswagen Group that will use Mobileye's self-driving software to autonomously shuttle passengers around Israel"

Looks like we really are one our way to having autonomous vehicles.

https://sea.mashable.com/tech/972/volkswagen-and-intel-team-up-for-israels-first-self-driving

 

Check this out. Waymo is planning to have a self-driving taxi service on the road by the end of the year in Arizona.

" Intel is building out an electric vehicle fleet with Champion Motors and the Volkswagen Group that will use Mobileye's self-driving software to autonomously shuttle passengers around Israel"

Looks like we really are one our way to having autonomous vehicles.

https://sea.mashable.com/tech/972/volkswagen-and-intel-team-up-for-israels-first-self-driving

Yeah right. I've been hearing the same old worn out rhetoric before. "Joe Schmoe Technologies plans to roll out a fleet of self driving cars next year."

That was 4 years ago and I've never seen a single self driving car on the streets where I live.

 

T

Yeah right. I've been hearing the same old worn out rhetoric before. "Joe Schmoe Technologies plans to roll out a fleet of self driving cars next year."

That was 4 years ago and I've never seen a single self driving car on the streets where I live.

There definitely is a lot happening in this field. There might still be need of progress and we still need to reach perfection but we can't deny that it exists and is definitely possible.

https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/will-driverless-roads-ever-become-reality

 

hi,
It makes you wonder what the safety level will be of self drive cars, as the car gets older and has changed owners a few times.
In the UK a car over 3 years old has to undergo an annual M.O.T. test [Ministry of Transport] in order to be legally used on the road.

The number of UK drivers caught driving cars which are poorly maintained and untested is quite high.

On these Forums we see drivers carrying out modifications to their vehicle electronics, it will be highly likely that we will see modification requests to the 'self drive' electrics.

IMHO self drive cars are unnecessary and a bad idea.

E

 

IMHO self drive cars are unnecessary and a bad idea.

Totally agree. When did the 'self driving car' become a 'city car'? If I remember correctly the self diving car concept was originally for limited access highway use only, when first proposed. That would be a great first move into the whole mess.

 

IMHO self drive cars are unnecessary and a bad idea.

I believe that right now, they are. But it's a technology long in the making and it will eventually catch up, and right now there really is a market for it, albeit small. Think of the elder being driven to make errands, or visit family, friends and doctor appointments. Or the disabled, or the transport of goods in extremely dangerous terrain.

I think this is a case in which companies are trying to create a market, instead of servicing one that already exists. Most likely, those companies have made well informed market forecasts and are fighting for leadership.

 

I know some are already worrying that efficient, self-driving cars will allow people to live much farther from their jobs. You can stumble into your car and catch another hour of sleep or read the paper while it drives for you. This could have a profound effect on suburban sprawl and traffic patterns.

Plus, there are ethical issues as well. I guess this is part of that age-old debate as to how AI can have moral algorithms.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/scienc...gers-or-pedestrians-2-million-people-weigh-in

 

T


There definitely is a lot happening in this field. There might still be need of progress and we still need to reach perfection but we can't deny that it exists and is definitely possible.

https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/will-driverless-roads-ever-become-reality

But that's not what the industry and the news media is saying. They're saying that self driving cars are already.here. However, I can confidently say that without the huge amount of government funding going to Google/Waymo, GM Cruise, Uber, etc., this whole self driving car fad would have never happened.

By the way, Google is now the biggest lobby/contributor to governmental officials in the U.S. and in 2017, the company gave over $18 Million to the congress alone. In addition to the federal government, Google has also given huge bucks to the California legislature and local governments. It's classic case of how a bunch of spoiled brat rich kids can buy their way to success.

 

But that's not what the industry and the news media is saying. They're saying that self driving cars are already.here.

The concerns are genuine, I can't deny that. Media has its own way to project anything it finds profitable these days. They are biased more than anything else.
As far as Google is concerned, they are playing safe for now. They might project that its all for good but their role in military projects speaks otherwise. I get it.

But everything aside, it doesn't change the fact that technology is progressing and self-driving cars will become a reality. Like I said it might take a little longer than projected but its will take the automotive industry by reform. It wont just stop there obviously, everything around it, the infrastructure, insurance, regulations everything will change as well.

 

I believe that right now, they are. But it's a technology long in the making and it will eventually catch up, and right now there really is a market for it, albeit small. Think of the elder being driven to make errands, or visit family, friends and doctor appointments. Or the disabled, or the transport of goods in extremely dangerous terrain.

I think this is a case in which companies are trying to create a market, instead of servicing one that already exists. Most likely, those companies have made well informed market forecasts and are fighting for leadership.

These are all very relevant areas in which this tech would profit and be beneficial, however I think the greater community are the ones that feel it is targeted at them and they are so quick to point out all the problems. I am in no way suggesting that the tech is perfect, it definitely has some fixes to be made, however it has some positive components that should be focused on

 

I will become a believer in true self-driving cars when they can handle Asia style traffic. It's a much less structured environment of small motor bikes, commercial trikes, tiny trucks, pedestrians walking into roads even with crosswalks, roads with no marking, huge trucks on 1.5 lane roads , etc ...

It looks like chaos until you understand the dynamics of human fear and survival to see the small clues of give and take instead of road rules.

 

I will become a believer in true self-driving cars when they can handle Asia style traffic.

I won't say its an impractical vision but to be able to facilitate smooth sail, they will need to develop a supporting infrastructure as well.
So my guess is it will be a long wait to see them in asian countries, you may very well experience the comfort before that.

 

I won't say its an impractical vision but to be able to facilitate smooth sail, they will need to develop a supporting infrastructure as well.
So my guess is it will be a long wait to see them in asian countries, you may very well experience the comfort before that.

I've already experienced the self-driving comfort in Asia, it's called paying a human driver to operate your personal/company car on a 7/24 basis. Affordable and far more reliable in that environment.

 

I've already experienced the self-driving comfort in Asia, it's called paying a human driver to operate your personal/company car on a 7/24 basis. Affordable and far more reliable in that environment.

I had a similar experience in Taiwan when I went there for our honeymoon. My new wife did ALL the driving! I would have gotten us killed within an hour. Actually saw cars drive up onto the crowded sidewalks to get around traffic snarls on three different occasions. In the northern part, traffic lights are little more than suggestions -- and in the south they aren't even mild hints! And that doesn't even begin to describe the motorcycles and scooters. Yet, despite the chaos, I didn't see a single car with any significant damage on it (and I started looking after a while). I came to the conclusion that Asian drivers develop a much more acute sense of situational awareness than most Western drivers do because we can rely on the overwhelming majority of drivers to actually obey the traffic laws; the result is that we predict what drivers will do based on them following the law and usually we are correct, but when we aren't we aren't ready to react quickly enough to avoid an accident. In Asia, drivers are under no such illusions and so they just develop the ability to always assume that anyone will do anything at anytime and to react accordingly very quickly.

 

I had a similar experience in Taiwan when I went there for our honeymoon. My new wife did ALL the driving! I would have gotten us killed within an hour. Actually saw cars drive up onto the crowded sidewalks to get around traffic snarls on three different occasions. In the northern part, traffic lights are little more than suggestions -- and in the south they aren't even mild hints! And that doesn't even begin to describe the motorcycles and scooters. Yet, despite the chaos, I didn't see a single car with any significant damage on it (and I started looking after a while). I came to the conclusion that Asian drivers develop a much more acute sense of situational awareness than most Western drivers do because we can rely on the overwhelming majority of drivers to actually obey the traffic laws; the result is that we predict what drivers will do based on them following the law and usually we are correct, but when we aren't we aren't ready to react quickly enough to avoid an accident. In Asia, drivers are under no such illusions and so they just develop the ability to always assume that anyone will do anything at anytime and to react accordingly very quickly.

Question: do asians normally use turn signals?

 

Question: do asians normally use turn signals?

While I was there I didn't look specifically for that to get a sense for how prevalent it was.

 

Question: do asians normally use turn signals?

It depends on what Asian culture you mean. Japan's traffic is totally different than Taiwan.

 

Like I said it might take a little longer than projected but its will take the automotive industry by reform.

What does this even mean? What happens when an industry is "taken by reform"?

 

It depends on what Asian culture you mean. Japan's traffic is totally different than Taiwan.

You're right. I should've said "mainland China". Personally, I hate it when people include Mexico when they're talking about central America, for instance.