I, For One, Welcome Our New Self-Driving Overlords

The most basic of driver reactions;

Automated emergency braking might sound like a technology that automatically brakes your car in an emergency. Logical, sure, but the AAA just released results of a test that it performed showing that relying on AEB isn’t as predictably safe as drivers might expect. Especially when moving at speeds above 40 mph, AEB’s full functionality dropped to worrying levels, the not-for-profit association said. This came as no surprise to us, as we performed a test of these systems three years ago and found them similarly lacking.

27 Replies to “I, For One, Welcome Our New Self-Driving Overlords”

  1. I wonder what the insurance premiums are and what they cover. it sounds to me that there will be many ‘rear-enders’ with these Loblaws vans stopping in the middle of the street. Galen will add the cost to your bill.

  2. And let me add that I also LOATHE anti-skid braking … which is included on virtually EVERY automobile. I KNOW how to control a skid, and how to use the brake pedal. I don’t need a computer chip FAILING to use adequate pressure when needed. I actually had a tiny rear end collision because my anti-skid braking didn’t apply enough pressure. Luckily it was only a tap which did no damage … but suffice to say I would have easily stopped my car without the computer override.

    My bottom line? Learn how to DRIVE! And to fully control your huge chunk of homicidal machinery. Or take the bus.

        1. He made a clever reference to the idiots who always thank Big Pharma when they catch covid, because “it would have been so much worse”.

          Surprised you didn’t catch on.

    1. In some cases, such as glare ice, anti-lock brakes can actually lengthen your stopping distance. However, you do retain steering control of the vehicle. A skidding or sliding wheel cannot turn the vehicle. You, as the driver, are supposed to recognize and understand this, not panic, and steer around or away from any objects in front of you. In other words, steer up over the curb onto a shoulder or into a median instead of slamming headlong into the car in front of you. I worked in automotive service for 44 years. I have seen people fail at this understanding of anti-lock brake operation many times.

    2. @Kenji – My car has an override for the anti-lock braking. I have a ‘sport package’ so the car can go Vrooom! however the owner wants to drive it; aggressively on nice twisty roads or the usual taming features when toodling around.

      Check to see if you have an override somewhere.

      1. Many modern cars have an override switch for the traction control system which does use the antilock brake system to work. However, I am not aware of any cars that have a switch that disables the actual antilock brake system. Maybe there is one but I am not aware of it. Antilock brakes are a safety item which usually means they cannot be disabled. Traction control is a ‘feature’ which is different and can be disabled.

    3. My friend, a professional drummer, used his kick drum 5 kicks per second ability on pre-1980 vehicles brake pedal application to safely control his movement. Static versus dynamic coefficient of friction is our friend.

  3. I liked this from the comments:
    Rochester
    1 day ago
    “My AEB saved me from rear-ending a car once under 20 mph. Traffic was moved to the shoulder for construction, and the car ahead of me slammed its brakes for no apparent reason. That’s enough for me to be grateful I have it.”

    “no apparent reason” …nice deflection from your inability to be attentive in an unusual situation not to mention following too close.
    If anyone should be grateful it’s the person in the car ahead of you.

    1. To be fair, I’ve seen people do this sort of thing while driving.

      They stop or turn without signalling and do other weird and dangerous things.

  4. I LOVE my Tesla- amazing vehicle. Couldn’t care less about the CO2 , which I know is a BS scam. Best ride I’ve ever driven, period. But we’ve had a few screen freezes (luckily in driveway), unexplainable auto-braking, a few other glitches. Even if there were none of those, I’d NEVER engage auto- or self-driving. No computer can do the moral/ethical calculus required in a split-second to say, decide whether to swerve off-road to avoid a human vs. into oncoming traffic at the risk of a head-on collision. Just one of many dilemmas a computer can’t solve.

    1. Lamb

      If Biden, Trudeau, and the rest of the gang greens get their way, you won’t have to worry about auto driving, you’ll be riding public transit.

    2. Since you’re a Tesla lover … can I ask you a question? Do you believe that all ICE automobiles should be banned … like Gavin Newsom insists upon doing? Do you believe everyone should be FORCED to drive an e-car … or take the bus?

      1. If you read my post, you’d have gotten your answer. In case you didn’t, my other car is an ICE-powered Escalade. So no – I don’t think everyone should be forced to own an EV. I just love this car.

  5. Car in left lane turning left waiting for an opening. Me in center lane moving straight. 80k speed zone. Left lane car has a path and proceeds. Big cloud of vapour( it’s January btw). The Subaru hits the brakes HARD to avoid collision with the cloud.

    Scared the crap out of me. Wife next to me wants a divorce. (Because I’m the idiot driver). Lucky I was not rear ended.

  6. What about debris blowing across the roadway, say a large piece of cardboard or plastic, will your car auto brake? If the car behind you is equipped, will it brake also? Assume all cars are equipped, how far back will the auto brake chaos extend? A mile?
    Eventually, in time, the automation will catch up with the human and could discern things like density (it’s just cardboard or plastic and is not a threat) but the worry is there, if someone wanted to disrupt traffic, by say, dropping a hundred beach balls off an overpass, into traffic..

    I’ve been saying for years, once self driving cars become the norm, you will not be able to drive in large urban centres in manual mode, all because people have not bothered to learn how to drive properly or cannot do so, without the assistance of full automation. It is their fault that the fact that self driving cars will improve traffic flow.. Cars will all start to move when the light turns green, cars will zipper merge on and off ramps onto the highways, all because people never bothered to learn how to drive, are capable of doing so, or are courteous enough to care and that’s sad..

    1. Young people today are not eager to learn to drive like us older people were when we were young. Would you like to know a primary reason? I was watching a video documentary about the future of the automobile and self driving cars. A couple of 16 year old twin girls who were getting forced to get their driver’s licenses at 16 by their father made an interesting comment. They actually said that most of their friends don’t want to drive because it interferes with their phone use!! The frigging smart phones are going to take away our ability to drive our own cars! OMG…

  7. The very next day after buying my 2018 Audi Q5, I was parallel parking in Vancouver. Wham. Shudder. Stopped cold. It felt awful, and I was cursing, “Fer cry’s sake x M, not a fender bender within 24 hours of purchase—idiot!!!”—surrender your licence now. Got parked, got out and carefully inspected both cars. NADA. Only then did I remember about this feature.

    Loosely related: I keep cars for 10%+ yrs. My last was a Lexus ES 300 which I had for 20 yrs.

    One day I played good samaritan and helped a Chinese woman driver in a very late model BMW back in to tough slanty spot behind Kinkos. As in the olden daze, I stood behind and began the patented hand signals but saw an increasinly irritated frown in her side mirror and thought, She’s not appreciating my efforts! Shortly after, she informed me that she had a rear camera. I knew about it but having not experienced it, forgot about it.

  8. My Nissan is so old all it does is scream at me in, I think, Japanese when it thinks I’m backing up to close to somethin.

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