Driverless car

[Philosophy Explorer]

Based on this article, can cars be totally safe or is it too soon to say?:

http://newatlas.com/metamaterial-change ... oft/47528/

PhilX

[thedoc]

Based on this article, can cars be totally safe or is it too soon to say?:

http://newatlas.com/metamaterial-change ... oft/47528/

PhilX

Every new technology goes through a learning curve, both of design and use. You need to counter the ego's that say, "I designed it right, you're using it wrong." only when you can get past that and look at the system realistically, then progress can be made. For example Detroit would design a new automatic transmission and for the first year be working out the problems, then when it was corrected, it would be used for years in everything without problems. BMW took the opposite stand and would design a new automatic transmission for each application, and had a reputation for failed transmissions for many years.

[Philosophy Explorer]

Based on this article, can cars be totally safe or is it too soon to say?:

http://newatlas.com/metamaterial-change ... oft/47528/

PhilX

Every new technology goes through a learning curve, both of design and use. You need to counter the ego's that say, "I designed it right, you're using it wrong." only when you can get past that and look at the system realistically, then progress can be made. For example Detroit would design a new automatic transmission and for the first year be working out the problems, then when it was corrected, it would be used for years in everything without problems. BMW took the opposite stand and would design a new automatic transmission for each application, and had a reputation for failed transmissions for many years.

I think it has much potential which would require study. I'm sure the government would be interested in this.

PhilX

[TSBU]

They don't need to be totally safe, just safier than humans.
That's very easy.

[Philosophy Explorer]

They don't need to be totally safe, just safier than humans.
That's very easy.

That's true, but if you think about the psychology of worrywarts, that may not be enough to allay fears.

I was also thinking about using a cushion of air to soften the impact. Don't know if that would work, could be a worthwhile experiment.

PhilX

[thedoc]

I was also thinking about using a cushion of air to soften the impact. Don't know if that would work, could be a worthwhile experiment.

PhilX

They already have these, they are called "airbags".
Airbags were introduced in 1970 but weren't common till the 1990's, but usually when the crash in hard enough to trigger the deployment of the air bags, the car is totaled, especially in an older car.

[Philosophy Explorer]

I was also thinking about using a cushion of air to soften the impact. Don't know if that would work, could be a worthwhile experiment.

PhilX

They already have these, they are called "airbags".
Airbags were introduced in 1970 but weren't common till the 1990's, but usually when the crash in hard enough to trigger the deployment of the air bags, the car is totaled, especially in an older car.

My understanding is that the airbags aren't foolproof.

PhilX

[thedoc]

I was also thinking about using a cushion of air to soften the impact. Don't know if that would work, could be a worthwhile experiment.

PhilX

They already have these, they are called "airbags".
Airbags were introduced in 1970 but weren't common till the 1990's, but usually when the crash in hard enough to trigger the deployment of the air bags, the car is totaled, especially in an older car.

My understanding is that the airbags aren't foolproof.

PhilX

True enough, but just like seat belts they are better then not having them, and that is what the aim is for driverless cars, to be safer than the drivers who shouldn't be driving in the first place, but that doesn't include all drivers, and that is the problem. The proponents of this technology want to force all drivers to submit, but not all drivers need or want to submit to this technology.

[Philosophy Explorer]

Nevada may be next:

http://readwrite.com/2017/01/29/nevada-self-driving/

PhilX