I, For One, Welcome Our Self-Driving Overlords

Whoa.

Our tests also exposed the infallibility myth that surrounds computers and automated vehicles. Driving the same car toward the same target at the same speed multiple times often produces different results. Sometimes the car executes a perfectly timed last-ditch panic stop. Other times it brakes late, or less forcefully, or even periodically fails to do anything at all. In our stationary-vehicle test, the Impreza’s first run at 50 mph resulted in the hardest hit of the day, punting the inflatable target at 30 mph. It was only on the second attempt that the Subaru’s EyeSight system impressively trimmed the speed to just 12 mph before the collision.

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

  1. Well, self driving cars IS the brainchild of the disciples of Malthus…

    Killing people just might be a feature, not a bug…

  2. If you’re young go to law school. There’s more money to be made in self-driving cars as a lawyer than an engineer.

  3. The main problem as I see it, is that these safety systems do little more than encourage drivers to be less vigilant, trusting in the software to do the work. When that happens, it increases the likelihood that the system will encounter more situations beyond its functional envelope.

    Giving drivers false confidence is a bad idea, and such systems shouldn’t be allowed outside until they can replicate the results of a [professional?] driver with 30+ years of experience, or better. Anything else seems…silly to me.

  4. So, the wondrous collision avoidance systems are no better than an inattentive driver?

    Don’t want to get in an accident? Be f#+%ing paranoid. There are dozens of idiots that are out to get you. Not everyone, just enough to ruin your day, several times a day. Not just you, but any poor schmuck that blunders into their selfish and uncaring way.

    1. purchance rd, do you cycle?
      I got run into on my bike for the very 1st time this past weekend, luckily very slow rate of travel in a parking lot.
      the c**t turned into me from BESIDE me. and kept onnnnn going.
      I asked a cop it that constituted a hit-and-run. yep. alas, missed my chance to make my 1st citizen’s arrest.
      I even had a witness who commisurated afterwards, had I known that I would have discretely followed ms hitandrun and made the arrest.

      welcome to the Narcissist Age.

  5. I don’t WANT, nor do I NEED my automobile to brake for me. I consider that dereliction of duty … to abrogate my driving responsibility to a computer chip. Are you out of your fkcuing minds!! Computer sensor braking?! … I HATE ABS braking as it is. When I slam my brakes on … I want my car to STOP! No coast to a stop. Not have my car’s computer evenly apply the brakes. I’m no idiot driver … I know how to control my skid. I know exactly how and when to get out of my skid. Sheesh. This generation of iPhone users is a sickly lot. What’s that you say? None of them have ever driven a stickshift!? Worthless sods.

  6. I own a Subaru Outback and quite impressed with their warning system. A few times I was not fully attentive and the car beeped a warning about closing too quickly with the car ahead. It will also advise you that the vehicle ahead has moved at a stop light. The interactive cruise is great as it adjusts your set speed if you are overtaking the vehicle and slows down to the number of vehicle spaces (up to 4) you desire. The system is monitoring traffic ahead in your lane so if no one is ahead of you but there are stopped traffic beside you as coming from the 403 to the QEW you still are travelling at highway speeds. A little disconcerting when this happened to me the first time. Don’t think I would be comfortable with the car doing the driving, too many terrible drivers out there doing weird things.

    1. Similar to our new Honda Pilot. It even steers you back onto the road if you drift too far off the lane. The warnings are a little disconcerting though when entering an inside curve and it thinks the vehicle in the opposite lane coming toward you is in your lane.

  7. Replace drivers’ air bags with an eight inch steel spike. Sure, fatalities will increase, initially, but the accident rate will drop off to practically zero very, very quickly.

  8. I believe a self driven car is safe… as much as I believe the main stream media is telling the truth.

  9. wait until you get a little road grime covering vital sensors or deerfoot trail slop. Some days there isn’t enough washer fluid to keep the windshield clean let alone your headlights or anything else.

  10. I like the way you people think.
    I spent summer of 68 @ me brudder’s autobody shop on a seconday highway is SW ontariowe.
    what’s wit’ the bulges in da windshield?
    ’tis where da noggin smacks said windshield for lack of a seatbelt came the answer.

    eep.

    when I got my licence soon after, I was very cautious due to my inexperience, and try to this day to be a safe driver. and I buckle up. me brudder sponsored a stock car and I had the opp to talk to the driver who said in a way he felt safer on the track then on the road since *other* drivers were far more respectful in the circumstances.

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