[Race Minded]

So in my RSS feeds today shows up this article on Jalopnik: A Driverless Car Will Be The First Real Robot You'll Own

Interesting read, had no idea that Arizona already had something in the works with California close behind. I love my cars soo much I hate the idea of a world full of robot-driven cars. Not sounding like a lot of fun to me. Take a look and read the article and tell me what you guys think... I am curious.

 

[ak_boost]

Correction - won't be a robot I will own..

 

[DarkVoid]

As long as I can turn the robot off and I do the driving whatever. It's gonna make bad drivers not so bad (hopefully).

 

[Race Minded]

As long as I can turn the robot off and I do the driving whatever. It's gonna make bad drivers not so bad (hopefully).

Well that is just it, they won't be driving at all though. So at that point you can't even call them drivers, everyone is a passenger!''

Correction - won't be a robot I will own..

I agree, I don't think I would want this situation simply based on my love of driving. What I fear the most with something like this is legislation that actually BANS the use of cars that require a driver for "safety reasons". With all the other nonsense being passed etc, I can actually envision someone attempting to do this in Congress...

 

[Pushn'lbs]

I don't see this happening... Aren't traffic citations a big cash producers for cities/counties? You can't ticket a robot. I would imagine this would be a huge hit financially. Any thoughts?

 

[[email protected]]

Imagine cops actually doing cop work.

Also, I support this to an extent. I feel uncomfortable around 90% of other drivers already, but it would be better for city traffic.

 

[Race Minded]

I don't see this happening... Aren't traffic citations a big cash producers for cities/counties? You can't ticket a robot. I would imagine this would be a huge hit financially. Any thoughts?

Yes tickets definitely are a "cash crop" for law enforcement, question is do we (the public) want law enforcement to be using it as bone fide and counted on income? That seems like a conflict of interest to me and the citizens get the short end of the stick on that one. This would force law enforcement to stop the shady practices of "quotas" and whatever else comes along with that (unnecessary stops, harassment, etc)

...I feel uncomfortable around 90% of other drivers already, but it would be better for city traffic.

DUDE! You and me both!! I still don't want the ability to drive taken away from me... or another scenario I thought of just now... my insurance premiums going sky high because insurance companies would rather insure the "sure thing" aka a robotic car not actually driven by a human than take the risk of insuring a human...

There are soo many implications around something like this becoming a reality. It will have an affect and change a LOT of things as we know them to work today, IMO. Not 100% sure I am looking forward to it to be honest.

 

[thejanitor]

Meh. No hovercraft mode then don't care. Lol

 

[Daep NYC]

I don't see this as a bad thing. The majority of people can't drive anyway, so this seems like a great technical solution for those who are too lazy or too incompetent to learn how to drive properly. Provided you're still allowed to drive yourself in whatever car you want.

 

[Race Minded]

...Provided you're still allowed to drive yourself in whatever car you want.

And that is where I believe the catch will come into play....

 

[Pushn'lbs]

Yes tickets definitely are a "cash crop" for law enforcement, question is do we (the public) want law enforcement to be using it as bone fide and counted on income? That seems like a conflict of interest to me and the citizens get the short end of the stick on that one. This would force law enforcement to stop the shady practices of "quotas" and whatever else comes along with that (unnecessary stops, harassment, etc)

Of course we (the public) don't want law enforcement using us to meet their revenue requirements. But either way we'll be paying for their lost revenue one way or another if these robot cars come into fruition.

 

[VII]

I Love this Idea, and would love one! (and I'm a car guy)

Why? Because it doesn't mean you cant own your fun to drive cars, It just means I have the option of not having to. How does this effect me? I do business on the fly everyday with my laptop from the road. I would knock out the front seats completely, and turn the business sedan into even more of a rolling office. Just tell the car where you would like to go, and sit back and focus on my business.

 

[Race Minded]

Of course we (the public) don't want law enforcement using us to meet their revenue requirements. But either way we'll be paying for their lost revenue one way or another if these robot cars come into fruition.

True, but I would rather pay for it out of taxes than being pulled over, assigned points on my license, time hassle, etc etc... don't you agree?

VII- I was contemplating this idea as well... almost like your own private limo. HAHA

Thing that I am concerned about is we all know how capitalism works, especially in this country. If you look at this from a political or commerce POV, there can be arguments and motivations as to why they would want to remove the ability to drive a car yourself "for your safety", "for the publics well being" or insurance companies who would lobby to outlaw "driven cars" because it increases their profits... see where I am going with this? Thoughts?

 

[Daep NYC]

And that is where I believe the catch will come into play....

I don't think this will happen, unless there's some insane tragedy involving motorists. Even then, the automobile is a pretty big symbol of personal freedom. It would be hard for government policy to take that away, though they could make it increasingly difficult to drive yourself.

Look at guns and strict gun control. I think a lot of us would agree that there are benefits to it, but in the end people still want their to exercise their right to bear arms and the gov't grants it.

 

[Daep NYC]

I Love this Idea, and would love one! (and I'm a car guy)

Why? Because it doesn't mean you cant own your fun to drive cars, It just means I have the option of not having to. How does this effect me? I do business on the fly everyday with my laptop from the road. I would knock out the front seats completely, and turn the business sedan into even more of a rolling office. Just tell the car where you would like to go, and sit back and focus on my business.

Agreed, my subway ride is probably the most productive part of my day.

 

[nickmb]

What happens when said "robot" has a malfunction on the road and makes a mistake...leading to deaths.

I like to be in control of what im driving.

just a thought

 

[Race Minded]

I don't think this will happen, unless there's some insane tragedy involving motorists. Even then, the automobile is a pretty big symbol of personal freedom. It would be hard for government policy to take that away, though they could make it increasingly difficult to drive yourself.

Look at guns and strict gun control. I think a lot of us would agree that there are benefits to it, but in the end people still want their to exercise their right to bear arms and the gov't grants it.

Well, remember we live in a day and age where everything is accomplished via subterfuge so I don't see them explicitly taking away our right to drive them per se. However, having said that I do see them making it all too difficult and expensive by way of rediculous licensing/exam requirements, exorbitant insurance policies and premiums, taxes in various forms to cover the "costs" associated with dealing with human-driven vehicles amongst the first few that op up to mind.

Just like when people 30 years ago could not imagine what else you would use a computer for besides mathematical calculation, how we would ever use a computer in leu of actually drawing architectural plans or modern day socialization which occurs through tech (all computer driven) instead of in person... I think this is a frontier where you might be basing things on how the world works now. But honestly, to really evaluate something like this (which has the ability to dramatically change the way we live as we know it today) we need to put ourselves in the mindset of what it would be like if that is the "norm", just like people 30 years ago would have had to in order to understand how and why people decided to use computers and technology as we do today.

 

[VII]

I would be curious how it would speed up/slow down traffic flow. It would be interesting if all the cars could communicate and interact with each others given destinations, and an algorithm would plan out the most efficient routes. Who knows, even with cars spaced out a bit more it might shave time off everyone's trip.

It would only be a matter of time before someone hacked the software and mad there cars travel priority number 1 at the expense of other motorists

 

[Race Minded]

I would be curious how it would speed up/slow down traffic flow. It would be interesting if all the cars could communicate and interact with each others given destinations, and an algorithm would plan out the most efficient routes. Who knows, even with cars spaced out a bit more it might shave time off everyone's trip.

It would only be a matter of time before someone hacked the software and mad there cars travel priority number 1 at the expense of other motorists

ORRRR... hijack the system and threaten head-on collisions with everyone in return for demands

 

[VII]

ORRRR... hijack the system and threaten head-on collisions with everyone in return for demands

Or that. Somebody at a computer clicking buttons causing massive pileups. I suppose there are people who would always take advantage of the system for evil. As long as there are safety checks, black boxes, and death sentences for anyone who tampers with it, we should be good. I think a daily chauffeur-mobile would be the cats ass.

Picture this. Rolls Royce goes into driverless car production.
Chose your destination, sit back and chill/work/eat breakfast etc.

Now if they could also come up with a road equivilant of this we'd be set!