Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

[Bubba1235]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_lGPRIRG3Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cj375UZyaI&feature=fvwrel

I'll preface this with the fact I love driving. I am the guy that will burn 5 gallons of gas just to go for a drive on Sunday afternoon for the enjoyment of being behind the wheel. Heck, I've even went to school to improve mt high speed driving skills. I LOVE driving, its just that simple.

Now with that said, I'd love a car that can drive itself on those long boring trips on the interstate and will probably be one of the first to buy one when they are available to the public.

 

[DJ]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

My current vehicle-2011 Explorer-has:

1. Collision avoidance (frontal).

2. Adaptive Cruise Control. (keeps distance between vehicle in front and me).

3. Blind side monitoring. (yellow light appears in side mirror when something is in the blind spot-foolproof).

4. Back up alarm and CAMERA (makes hooking up a trailer a SNAP!).

5. Trailer sway control-amazing!

6. Hands free telephone. Voice activated calling, texting/email.

7. Hands free. voice command: heat/cool/navigation/911 assist/business search/fuel prices and locations, the list goes on and on. Just about anything you would have to manually do, you can just tell the car to do it.

It's all called-"My Ford Touch". Absolutely amazing!

I got in an older vehicle without this stuff and had to "re-learn" not having the electronic "nanny's". I hadn't forgotten how to drive a stick though. The "nanny" stuff is great but there is a joy to driving a vehicle with none of it.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

I'm with you Bubba ... love to drive and don't want the car telling me what to do, but on the long freeway stretches, let the car have at it!

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Another guy who loves driving, but like it's been said, auto pilot would be a nice option for long or tedious trips (rush hour traffic).

This may be controversial to say, but if these systems truly become stand-alone with no interference/guidance needed by the driver (other than entering a destination address in the guidance system), it would probably greatly reduce the amount of accidents caused by DUI. Not that I condone any form of DUI, but if the knuckle head doesn't have a DD or refuses to call a cab, it would be a much safer option than taking the wheel. Or perhaps it would become an excuse to get loaded.... Something to ponder I guess.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Why not? You can put on make up, read, text, do homework and it frees up your hands for all the required gestures in case of road rage. Wait a minute, what's the difference without a computer?

 

[GTS225]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Sorry, guys.......I work as an industrial maintenance electrician, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that anything man can build, will break, and usually while you're using it.
Yeah, I can see it now.........65mph on the highway, and a deer runs out in front of the car. I suspect even your electronics aren't going to react fast enough (not that a human can, either). Either that, or it's going to steer to avoid collision. Yep, can you say rolling into the ditch?
I'll trust my own abilities, thank you.

Roger

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Are we getting that LAZY ??. :facepalm:

 

[Kohrah]

I grew up learning to drive your bare bones 4x4 dodge Dakota. Great farm truck. Am/fm cassette player, 5 speed transmission, and WD-55 air condition. Opened the hood and knew what everything was and what it did. Separate belts for each part.

I now have cruise, heated seats, navigation, and a block of plastic that im sure has an engine under it someplace.

Sad to say im only 28 and I want that truck back. I understand that new technology leads to better cars but at same time id like to be able to actually work on my car too.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[chicknwing]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Being that I drive for a living, I could come to appreciate a computer doing the work on the open highway. However, I see a need for me to be in control in any kind of traffic situation.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Wonder how that google car would react to this situation? Give the driver a smartphone and let's see the REALITY TEST!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffkG0bHWT2A&feature=fvst

 

[zopperman]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_lGPRIRG3Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cj375UZyaI&feature=fvwrel

I'll preface this with the fact I love driving. I am the guy that will burn 5 gallons of gas just to go for a drive on Sunday afternoon for the enjoyment of being behind the wheel. Heck, I've even went to school to improve mt high speed driving skills. I LOVE driving, its just that simple.

Now with that said, I'd love a car that can drive itself on those long boring trips on the interstate and will probably be one of the first to buy one when they are available to the public.

Sounds like We'd get along really well.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

For the spouse would be good. Women drivers

 

[zopperman]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

For the spouse would be good. Women drivers

hahah TRUTH!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Might be good for the old man in the hat or the old lady in the scarf as well. And if I make it to my latter years, It might be nice then too.

 

[zopperman]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Might be good for the old man in the hat or the old lady in the scarf as well. And if I make it to my latter years, It might be nice then too.

Let's start with the girlfriend

 

[metalwizard]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

NO WAY IN HE double toothpick..

You think it's bad now.. what happens when something goes wrong.. who do you sue.. the car owner? the car maker, the programmer that wrote the code, the city that makes the rules that computer has to follow.. etc etc etc etc..

Yeah people are stupid and lowsy drivers but I will NOT trust my life to a computer ALL THE TIME..

Also.. just think SKYNET... we are HUMANS we are supposed to use our brains.. we have already bread most of the intelligence out of the race... why not remove it all... we won't need to think computers will do it for us..

 

[rbh]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Its not that it can't work, but you take icey/snowy/hydroplanning/dog,cat crossing the road/kid crossing road chasing ball ETC
There is no way a computer can drift the vehicle around to avoid collision/regain control or visually find a good spot to stuff the vehicle into if required.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

That's too much for me to ever get comfortable with. I'm one of those old farts who learned to drive in rear-wheel-drive cars with drum brakes and manual transmissions. Say what you want about how unsafe they were (they were- I don't deny it), but you learned a lot of physics (traction, mass, polar moment of inertia, and momentum) in those cars. Try to teach a kid how to control a skid in a modern car. Can't be done under any kind of semi-controlled conditions. You learned other stuff, too- ever see the size of the back seat in a '64 Dodge Polara? But, I digress....

One of the results of all the electronic 'driver aids' on today's cars is that knuckleheads with non-existent skills drive in all kinds of weather at ridiculous speeds. People used to know enough to stay off the road during a blizzard, to slow down when weather was bad, etc., etc. Not any longer. Surprise! That new Escalade of yours will go just as sideways on ice, just as quickly, as my '64 Dodge did. The difference is that you thought it couldn't happen, while I KNEW it could and drove accordingly.

Smarter gadgets make dumber people.

My .02

 

[southkogs]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

Dangit - just couldn't stay out of it could I?

Just like the flying poll: Situational Awareness is a critical component in driving too. Computers just don't have it.

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Ok, how about cars that drive themselves?

LOL This is going to happen. Good or bad makes no difference, it's just going to happen. The technology is here now for the most part, just need all the parts on the roads installed to make it happen. As metalworker pointed out, "who do you sue?" , that's a field day for the lawyers and the government is ran by lawyers so the government will push this through. The sensors embedded in the roads for the cars to follow will make years of good paying jobs, and we need jobs.

On paper this is a no-brainer for any of the three branches of government. Jobs, lots of new laws to write and sign, and the courts are packed.

Just hope this gets going. I'm retired and getting old fast and would like to keep the mobility.

For the record, imho, Everone should drive a 60+ year old car, nothing powered, you can fix it, and if your not focused on driving, your not on the road for long.
I just couldn't help myself. :facepalm: