Smart cars in driverless convoy breakthrough

Ready market

Okay, so their first market is surely to parents who can travel in the first car, with the noisy kids in the following car.

What? 8-)

By MJ2010 on 29 May 2012

Which Idiot....

put computers in cars in the first place?

And now makes them drive automatically?!!!

By MalcolmHegarty on 29 May 2012

Which Idiot....

put computers in cars in the first place?

And now makes them drive automatically?!!!

By MalcolmHegarty on 29 May 2012

Which Idiot....

put computers in cars in the first place?

And now makes them drive automatically?!!!

By MalcolmHegarty on 29 May 2012

The defendant looked at the judge and said...Sorry your honour , it's wasn't my fault I was speeding.It was the car in front who's responsible. :-)

By Jaberwocky on 29 May 2012

No thanks.....

What would happen if some kind of interference interrupted the Wireless network? The 'driver' wouldn't exactly be paying attention as the car is driving itself?

"m'lud, the computer crashed....followed shortly by the car"

By everton2004 on 29 May 2012

A fantastic idea in principal, but...

...I can't help thinking of all the many potential drawbacks and hazards.

As above, what happens if there is interference in the network - accidental of malicious? Would terrorists / rogue 3rd parties be able to launch a malicious virus into the system? Imagine mass high-speed collisions up and down every single motorway in the country during the morning rush hour.

What if it were more simple than that, and the guy in front (terrorist / deranged loon / manic depressive) just decides to drive off the edge of a cliff, or straight into oncoming traffic?

I LOVE the idea of driverless cars, I really think they're the future, but it'll take a lot more than a few 'ideal scenario' tests to get me to take my eyes off the road.

By Mr_John_T on 29 May 2012

So what's new?

I thought Volvo's had been going around without drivers for years.....

By ianreid99 on 30 May 2012

Its gonna happen, like it or not.

Whilst its easy to spot all the potential drawbacks, the "upside" is too good for the powers that be to ignore.

The most important is that such a system would considerably reduce congestion, by enabling 'intelligent management' of traffic to eliminate (for example) those delays caused by arbitrary braking and consequent 'wave' effects.

It won't happen next week, but happen it will....

By wittgenfrog on 30 May 2012

Legalities

Since I doubt that there is any legal provision for issuing a driving licence to a computer, there must surely be a licensed and insured driver sitting in each vehicle, and that driver must be legally responsible for any accidents that occur.

Also the modifications to the vehicles would have to be accepted by an insurer. I am surprised that it was possible to do this. Suppose you hitched up your laptop to your car's engine management system and steering. Imagine the response when you call up your insurer to let them know.

I would very much like to know how it was all legally arranged, and why it was approved. Who do I (or my insurer) sue if such a vehicle hits me?

By fogtax on 31 May 2012

RE: Legalities

From the BBC news website this month...
Google gets Nevada driving licence for self-drive car
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17989553

By HHoffman on 31 May 2012