Self driving taxis/Uber/Lyft/ride sharing

[max2]

To me this is the future and I will be the first one on the list to do free test runs. Though it is limited and only at certain times.

The bad news is it will take 20 years if not 50 years to get to me most likely.

Hopefully I have enough time. Either way don't care.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

For a variety of reasons, (safety reasons are one, the abolition of yet another category of jobs that provided employment to some who were not traditionally white collar workers, more automation/dehumanisation are others), I am profoundly uneasy with this development and would prefer to see an awful lot more research - and regulation - before it becomes a norm in society.

 

[eyoungren]

Waymo is big in Phoenix. They have a lot of vehicles on the road for testing purposes. I'm not sure if you can get an actual ride or not yet.

I've passed several driverless cars on the freeway and streets.

Uber suspended testing here when one of their autonomous cars ran over a bicyclist in Tempe. It was night and the bicyclist was crossing a four lane street.

Arizona driver in deadly Uber autonomous crash set for June trial

The woman, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge, told police Herzberg “came out of nowhere” and that she didn’t see her prior to the collision.

www.azfamily.com

 

[Macky-Mac]

Waymo is big in Phoenix. They have a lot of vehicles on the road for testing purposes. I'm not sure if you can get an actual ride or not yet.
...

I'm in Los Angeles and I see Waymo testing in my neighborhood very frequently......so far I haven't been run over!

Around here it's just testing as far as I can tell.

 

[KaiFiMacFan]

It's not about the cost for me, but about safety. Human drivers obviously make many errors, but they can react to things and see things that a computer can't. The many stories I hear about "phantom braking" makes me think we are a long ways away from being able to trust "self-driving" cars with our safety.

 

[eyoungren]

I'm in Los Angeles and I see Waymo testing in my neighborhood very frequently......so far I haven't been run over!

Around here it's just testing as far as I can tell.

Yeah, I watch KCAL every morning (Amazon Firestick) and they mentioned Waymo was coming over there.

 

[eyoungren]

It's not about the cost for me, but about safety. Human drivers obviously make many errors, but they can react to things and see things that a computer can't. The many stories I hear about "phantom braking" makes me think we are a long ways away from being able to trust "self-driving" cars with our safety.

I think one of the things that cannot be replicated is the human sixth sense or 'gut' sense. Sometimes when you're driving you can just get a feeling and act on that to avoid things. Driverless cars don't have that. I've been behind trucks and cars where I just 'knew' something was going to come flying out or off the vehicle and it happened.

OTOH, driverless cars are probably far better as far as reaction times. I'm always amazed at how long it takes the average person to register a green light and translate that into applying pressure to the gas pedal.

 

[Macky-Mac]

...OTOH, driverless cars are probably far better as far as reaction times. I'm always amazed at how long it takes the average person to register a green light and translate that into applying pressure to the gas pedal.

human often are driving along thinking about all sorts of other things and not being alert for some traffic situation that might require a quick reaction

 

[eyoungren]

human often are driving along thinking about all sorts of other things and not being alert for some traffic situation that might require a quick reaction

Which is a reason, but not an excuse.

Two things about that…

1. I was taught not to be rude or inconsiderate towards others. Driving along while not paying any attention is being inconsiderate to other drivers, let alone potentially dangerous.

2. I like driving. I scored 100 on my written (out of 100) and a 98 on my practical when testing for my license at 16. I lost two points because I was nervous and took off with the parking brake on. I'm 52 now and I still like driving. But I get that others don't and that some people (like my son) drive only because they have to.

So, I get it, but that does not justify not paying attention. If I miss a left turn at a green arrow because someone is thinking about 'all sorts of other things' and takes too long to go, I'm still going to be mad.

 

[Shhhh]

Nope. I've read too many horror stories. I'll pass.

 

[HPDoor]

Tesla FSD will soon have a better safety record than human driving. And for the people that are hesitant about a self driving car: do you think the pilot is still flying the plane?

 

[romanof]

What do you mean? Self driving autos are in full production and are flying off the lot. I know because every tech and auto web site from 2015 on said that 2020 would be the year that they would go mainstream. Of course, since I live WAY out in rural territory, I haven't seen any, but I am looking forward to a trip to the big city to watch people driving past with phones and laptops in action as their car drives them to the office.

 

[Longplays]

When service provider, private, public and govt stats show that self-driving vehicles are statistically safer then I'll use it.

Personally I want more railway lines to replace the heaviest road traffic routes so that self driving cars just for the last mile.