Would you trust a car to drive itself?

[denphone]

Would you trust a car to drive itself?

Every year, 1.3 million people are killed and 50 million injured on the world's roads. Carmakers are racing to create a vehicle that will never crash, but can it be done and will drivers accept a computer that overrides their driving?

Now the arrival of crash avoidance technology - systems that can alert drivers to danger and even take action to prevent accidents from happening - promises to cut the number of crashes on our roads.

So confident is Volvo of the power of its technology, it has pledged that beyond the year 2020, no-one will be killed or seriously injured in one of its new cars. In essence, the Swedish manufacturer is aiming to build a vehicle that will fully protect its occupants and crash less.

Critics argue that a motorist who is required to do little to keep his or her vehicle on the road is not likely to be an alert and safe driver. The Association of British Drivers believes all technology that takes responsibility away from the motorist should be prohibited.

"The only thing going against it [automated driving] is if you consider the environmental impact. There would be an increase of 50% capacity in automated motorway lanes, which means more vehicles and more fuel."

What are your thoughts on this.

[Tim Deegan]

Airliners can take off, fly to a destination, and land themselves. So in theory the technology could work. However there are more variables on the road including road conditions, debris, other vehicles, and other drivers.

You also have to take into account that there are huge amount of money spent on these systems in aircraft. The motor industry will try and make the system as cheap as possible. Anyone who has owned a Peugot or Citroen will most likely know that they don't exactly have reliable electronics anyway.

[Taf]

I've seen what happens when cruise control and power steering takes a nodded-off driver for a trip... not pretty.

[Tim Deegan]

Originally Posted by Taf

I've seen what happens when cruise control and power steering takes a nodded-off driver for a trip... not pretty.

Very true about cruise control (not sure about power steering). Which is why you should never use cruise control when tired, or in adverse conditions.

[dilligaf1701]

I think I'd give a self driving car a go.

[Tim Deegan]

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

I think I'd give a self driving car a go.

It's ok until it goes wrong.

I don't know if you have a sat nav, but they can sometimes wander off the road. This would be very worrying if GPS was controlling your car.

[dilligaf1701]

Originally Posted by Tim Deegan

It's ok until it goes wrong.

I don't know if you have a sat nav, but they can sometimes wander off the road. This would be very worrying if GPS was controlling your car.

It is ok until it goes wrong yup. But I'd hope by the time I actually got my hands on one it'd be proven to at least some standard.

I do have a sat nav but I use it for walking so I can't comment on that. I don't blindly do as it tells me. I also use a cane and iGlasses so that I don't walk into stuff.

I'd assume it would (the car I mean) have multiple systems in the same way.

[Tim Deegan]

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

It is ok until it goes wrong yup. But I'd hope by the time I actually got my hands on one it'd be proven to at least some standard.

I do have a sat nav but I use it for walking so I can't comment on that. I don't blindly do as it tells me. I also use a cane and iGlasses so that I don't walk into stuff.

I'd assume it would (the car I mean) have multiple systems in the same way.

How do iglasses work?

[dilligaf1701]

Like parking radar. But I wear them as glasses. When something passes in front of me at eye hight they vibrate and get stronger the closer th object is.

Very good as the cane is only good for detecting stuff at floor level.

I kept getting cut by overhanging branches and such like.

Edit

http://www.rnib.org.uk/shop/Pages/Pr...oductID=ME1401

[Tim Deegan]

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

Like parking radar. But I wear them as glasses. When something passes in front of me at eye hight they vibrate and get stronger the closer th object is.

Very good as the cane is only good for detecting stuff at floor level.

I kept getting cut by overhanging branches and such like.

Edit

http://www.rnib.org.uk/shop/Pages/Pr...oductID=ME1401

That's clever. I'd never heard of them before.

[dilligaf1701]

The rnib / ambutech only came out with them is year, the next best thing is a cane with the same technology in it but that's £630 a pop.

[thenry]

how boring! no offence to the stats of kills etc.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by denphone

Would you trust a car to drive itself?


What are your thoughts on this.

Not if its using Microsoft software

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Sirius

Not if its using Microsoft software

Why's that Sirius.

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

gotta be safer for the ladies