Are we ready for driverless vehicles?

[Kotelia]

When the electric car came around, it was quite a spectacle. It was a step towards reducing carbon emissions, but expensive for the average consumer. However, as the years go on technology seems to advance with it, and quickly became the concept of the driverless or automated vehicles.
This thread was inspired by a news article I read, following progress that Apple had made into their own research for the driverless vehicle platform.
A paper was released on the 17th November by arXiv, when Apple computer scientists discussed advancements they had made in being able to detect 3-d objects.

From CNBC:

Current object detection systems rely on "LiDAR" technology. This works by shining light onto a surface and measuring how long it takes to return in order to figure out how far an object is and create an image of its shape.

But LiDAR alone can make detecting small objects that are far away difficult without an additional camera. Apple's researchers argue a LiDAR and camera-based solution could be difficult to deploy in many situations and it could be "more sensitive to sensor failure."

Instead, Apple's computer scientists propose a LiDAR-only detection method that they dub "VoxelNet". The solution uses complex computer vision and artificial intelligence to carry out this function.

CNBC explains relatively well the current object detection system, LiDAR, and the Apple scientists' proposed VoxelNet.
VoxelNet uses 'complex computer vision' and some AI to carry out its tasks and functions.
It was at this moment I wondered 'are we ready for driverless and automated vehicles?'
I believe this is incredible technology, and I think it could be utilised well in the form of a driverless car or van.
But I'm not sure if the world is ready for such technology.
Could such an incredible advancement in this field be dangerous?
Leslie Hook of the Financial Times has proposed a simple, yet thought proving question:

From the Financial Times:

I thought back on that ride when Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet, announced this month that it was removing the drivers from its cars in Phoenix. These cars are truly driverless, with no one to turn the wheel if the machine veers off course. Whether it is Waymo’s advanced vehicles or a student project, both face the same question — who gets to decide when they are safe enough to drive themselves?

And on that note, I'm going to wrap up.
Leave your thoughts below, it would be interesting to see what you think of this new advancement in the automobile industry.

[Quo God]

Damn synths

[Kotelia]

Damn synths

Is that your only comment?

[New Velonia]

Damn synths

[Mexican Liberation]

There is too much of a possibility for accidents to occur at the moment, the absence of a human driver to regain control, or being unable to, could very likely exacerbate the severity of a crash into something catastrophic.

As with any other technology, improvements and innovation over time will calm these fears. With more advanced AI over the coming years becoming more reliable and less susceptible to glitches, self-driving cars are likely a reality (albeit a potentially expensive one) for the next generation.

In the meantime, we'll have to make due with sci-fi movies and hoverboards

[Kotelia]

There is too much of a possibility for accidents to occur at the moment, the absence of a human driver to regain control, or being unable to, could very likely exacerbate the severity of a crash into something catastrophic.

As with any other technology, improvements and innovation over time will calm these fears. With more advanced AI over the coming years becoming more reliable and less susceptible to glitches, self-driving cars are likely a reality (albeit a potentially expensive one) for the next generation.

In the meantime, we'll have to make due with sci-fi movies and hoverboards

I agree with you completely. I believe too that at the moment, in the current state, an automated vehicle shouldn't be released to the public anytime soon. Perhaps in the near future. Perhaps.

[Nimzonia]

They cannot replace shitty human drivers fast enough for me.

[Mexican Liberation]

There is too much of a possibility for accidents to occur at the moment, the absence of a human driver to regain control, or being unable to, could very likely exacerbate the severity of a crash into something catastrophic.

As with any other technology, improvements and innovation over time will calm these fears. With more advanced AI over the coming years becoming more reliable and less susceptible to glitches, self-driving cars are likely a reality (albeit a potentially expensive one) for the next generation.

In the meantime, we'll have to make due with sci-fi movies and hoverboards

I agree with you completely. I believe too that at the moment, in the current state, an automated vehicle shouldn't be released to the public anytime soon. Perhaps in the near future. Perhaps.

Damn synths

[Pope Joan]

Have you had good experiences with the robots who handle calls for your utility?

Unheard of, right?

"Just say the answer, I understand spoken English. I'm sorry I did not understand that, please try again. I'm sorry I did not understand that' I will connect you with a live agent."

Do not let Artificial Subintelligence operate my vehicle, or anyone else's for that matter.

My friend's GPS led her onto the tarmac at Orlando International Airport; she was trying to go to Cypress Gardens

No!

[Grand Britannia]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

[Kotelia]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

Completely affordable.

Have you had good experiences with the robots who handle calls for your utility?

Unheard of, right?

"Just say the answer, I understand spoken English. I'm sorry I did not understand that, please try again. I'm sorry I did not understand that' I will connect you with a live agent."

Do not let Artificial Subintelligence operate my vehicle, or anyone else's for that matter.

My friend's GPS led her onto the tarmac at Orlando International Airport; she was trying to go to Cypress Gardens

No!

Nice anecdote you have shared. Reveals the flaws in today's technology.

[Mexican Liberation]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

On the bright side, "traditional" cars are about to become a whole lot cheaper. Vintage too!

[Methodological Individualism]

Have you had good experiences with the robots who handle calls for your utility?

Completely different technology and application. Not really that relevant.

Do not let Artificial Subintelligence operate my vehicle, or anyone else's for that matter.

If you're driving a reasonably modern vehicle, the on-board computer is already doing most of the driving for you; most of your control inputs are already suggestions that said computer then vets and modifies as conditions require. The only exception is probably steering, and even then electronic stability control, etc.

You could turn that off, if you were crazy enough, I suppose.

My friend's GPS led her onto the tarmac at Orlando International Airport; she was trying to go to Cypress Gardens

This is 100% a wetware problem.

Either the driver, or whoever is in charge of security at Orlando Int.

[Nimzonia]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

On the bright side, "traditional" cars are about to become a whole lot cheaper. Vintage too!

Unfortunately, it'll be offset by the massive hike in insurance.

[Ifreann]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

Don't worry, Apple won't release their iCar until the technology already exists and is established enough that they can stick an Apple branded casing on it and call it a revolution.

[Methodological Individualism]

When the electric car came around, it was quite a spectacle. It was a step towards reducing carbon emissions, ...

Well, electric cars are a step in moving emissions over there anyway. Especially if the magic free energy plug you charge said car with has a coal plant on the other end.

Nuclear, solar, and wind might actually reduce emission, though.

Could such an incredible advancement in this field be dangerous?

Compared to what? A human-organic system will squash me flat in the crosswalk against the red light just as well, after all.

From the Financial Times:

I thought back on that ride when Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet, announced this month that it was removing the drivers from its cars in Phoenix. These cars are truly driverless, with no one to turn the wheel if the machine veers off course. Whether it is Waymo’s advanced vehicles or a student project, both face the same question — who gets to decide when they are safe enough to drive themselves?

I understand that 53 of Waymo/Alphabet/Google's prototypes have driven more than a million miles combined, been in only 18 accidents in all that time, and have been at fault precisely once.

And even then, it was barely a fender bender:

But as Google’s car neared the intersection of Castro Street, its path was blocked by sandbags around a storm drain, according to a report Google filed with the California DMV.

Google’s car tried to go around the sandbags by cutting into the line of vehicles on the left side of the lane. Instead, it struck a metal piece connecting the two halves of an accordion-style bus, according to a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority spokeswoman. Google said its car was going less than 2 mph and the bus was moving at 15 mph. Both parties said there were no injuries and described the crash as minor.

So the tech is at worst on par with a (actually relatively cautious and responsible) student driver. Pretty damned good, actually.

[Methodological Individualism]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

Don't worry, Apple won't release their iCar until the technology already exists and is established enough that they can still an Apple branded casing on it and call it a revolution.

And the battery won't be user-replaceable.

[Pope Joan]

Can't wait for Apple's entry level driverless car for the low price of $199,999

Completely affordable.

Have you had good experiences with the robots who handle calls for your utility?

Unheard of, right?

"Just say the answer, I understand spoken English. I'm sorry I did not understand that, please try again. I'm sorry I did not understand that' I will connect you with a live agent."

Do not let Artificial Subintelligence operate my vehicle, or anyone else's for that matter.

My friend's GPS led her onto the tarmac at Orlando International Airport; she was trying to go to Cypress Gardens

No!

Nice anecdote you have shared. Reveals the flaws in today's technology.

The Wife of Bath and I prefer to rely upon our own experience rather than some expert who is paid by the industry
And I defy you to find reliable evidence that the robots who now abuse us are really good at what they do.

speaking of these rotten receptionists:"Today’s robots simply aren’t as good as humans "aren’t as good as humans are at listening and responding as humans are" ttps://www.theatlantic.com/technology/a ... ne/382212/

[Partybus]

Just one more thing hackers can hack into...so, no. We are not ready IMO.

[Methodological Individualism]

Just one more thing hackers can hack into...so, no. We are not ready IMO.

How long has cellular, WiFi, and Bluetooth been an add on option all ready?

Anyone have any data on how many times leet h4x0r5 have gone all Speed on us, so far?

[Petrasylvania]

Technology is still too early to have mass driverless vehicle fleets. Glitches, hacking, those seem to make riding them a bad idea at the moment.

Would it be a fun idea to kick off driverless cars with a showing of Maximum Overdrive?

[Petrasylvania]

Just one more thing hackers can hack into...so, no. We are not ready IMO.

How long has cellular, WiFi, and Bluetooth been an add on option all ready?

Anyone have any data on how many times leet h4x0r5 have gone all Speed on us, so far?

Almost none of those are directly linked to a vehicle's speed and steering, which would not be the case for driverless cars.

[Grand Britannia]

Just one more thing hackers can hack into...so, no. We are not ready IMO.

Tbh if we did things based on what hackers do we wouldn't have a lot of stuff we use on our daily lives today.

Such as smartphones.

[Methodological Individualism]

Technology is still too early to have mass driverless vehicle fleets. Glitches, hacking, those seem to make riding them a bad idea at the moment.

Until human drivers never err or are never distracted by their electrical gadgets, cars in general are probably a bad idea at the moment.

"Something might go wrong" applies to all possible solutions, and is thus not really an adequate critique of any one solution in particular.

[Senkaku]

We may not be ready, but Lord knows I'm fuckin' ready. Anything so I don't have to humiliate myself trying to parallel park.