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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » The AUTOnomous car...

Jan. 29, 2012 4:30 p.m. vwcorvette HalfDork

Never picked up Wired magazine until today. Cover story, "Your next car will drive itself." Written by Tom Vanderbilt who wrote Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do.

In all I liked the article. Well presented commentary on the state of driving, self-driven cars, and the like. Regardless of whether or not you are for or against the technology it's out there and in use as we speak (type?).

Don't get me wrong. I like driving. I like driving my cars. But I am increasingly concerned about the nature of driving and how MOST of America relates to driving, not the mass of folks on this forum who ARE interested in the skill of driving. Let's face it we ARE the minority.

Tomorrow's generation sees the automobile as less a necessity and more so one more item in their collection of iPods, iPads, tablets, etc.

Should we lament this? Should we be concerned that the car of tomorrow will require less input from us? Will the numbers show that by removing the human element we make transportation safer?

Read the article and discuss.

BTW, Rolex 24 was pretty good this year!
Jan. 29, 2012 4:37 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

will apple market the iCar soon? I hope it comes in more than just white
Jan. 29, 2012 4:38 p.m. vwcorvette HalfDork

In reply to mad_machine:

I'm sure someone will make a protective cover so you can change the look!
Jan. 29, 2012 4:52 p.m. fritzsch Reader

only 8 years left till its as standard as the multitude of other things i dont use. I wonder if they could get those cars to beat a human driver on a racetrack...that would be kinda cool
Jan. 29, 2012 4:53 p.m. redrabbit Reader

Maybe you can get power apps!
Jan. 29, 2012 4:54 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

"some say he is related an android, Others that he uses the 5g network. We know him as the iStig"
Jan. 29, 2012 4:55 p.m. fritzsch Reader

"The next generation of gearheads won’t obsess over horsepower and torque; they’ll focus on things like radar range, communication latency, and pixel resolution. Here’s a look at the technology that will power the autonomous cars of the near future.—T.V"

sounds boring
Jan. 29, 2012 5:17 p.m. vwcorvette HalfDork

fritzsch wrote:

"The next generation of gearheads won’t obsess over horsepower and torque; they’ll focus on things like radar range, communication latency, and pixel resolution. Here’s a look at the technology that will power the autonomous cars of the near future.—T.V"

sounds boring

That's part of the point I think. The human mind is not designed to multi-task. It does it rather poorly. Computers on the other hand can and do it well. Leaving tomorrow's generation to do more of what it likes/wants to do.

You are I would most likely be bored as passengers and not drivers. Again, however, this is not about the typical GRMer.
Jan. 29, 2012 5:19 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

honestly, if I am not behind the wheel... riding in a car puts me right to sleep
Jan. 29, 2012 7:30 p.m. vwcorvette HalfDork

I can't sleep if I'm the passenger. I am uncomfortable when I am not in control of something directly effecting my life. Don't even get me started about being on a plane. No sleep at all!
Jan. 29, 2012 7:35 p.m. Ranger50 Dork

vwcorvette wrote:

I can't sleep if I'm the passenger. I am uncomfortable when I am not in control of something directly effecting my life. Don't even get me started about being on a plane. No sleep at all!

+1. If I am going to die, or have that possibility present, I prefer to have the option to AVOID death instead of being just another statistic.
Jan. 29, 2012 7:42 p.m. vwcorvette HalfDork

Ranger50 wrote:

vwcorvette wrote:

I can't sleep if I'm the passenger. I am uncomfortable when I am not in control of something directly effecting my life. Don't even get me started about being on a plane. No sleep at all!

+1. If I am going to die, or have that possibility present, I prefer to have the option to AVOID death instead of being just another statistic.

This is also why I would never fall asleep while teaching DE. And, yes I have heard stories!
Jan. 29, 2012 8:14 p.m. The_Jed HalfDork

I hate the idea of ABS...don't get me started on this crap!!!
Jan. 30, 2012 12:50 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

ABS is one of the few car "aids" I like... sadly though, it has spawned a whole generation of "Wait till the last second and stomp the brake pedal" drivers...
Jan. 30, 2012 5:05 a.m. JoeyM SuperDork

The_Jed wrote:

I hate the idea of ABS...don't get me started on this crap!!!

this may have been meant as humor, but none of my cars have ABS...or TPMS, or traction control, or stability control. I tend to drive in a fairly slow and sedate manner when on public roads, and think the lack of technology is part of that.

The new tech in modern cars have given people a greater capability to act shiney happy while driving
Jan. 30, 2012 2:15 p.m. vwcorvette HalfDork

JoeyM wrote:

The_Jed wrote:

I hate the idea of ABS...don't get me started on this crap!!!

this may have been meant as humor, but none of my cars have ABS...or TPMS, or traction control, or stability control. I tend to drive in a fairly slow and sedate manner when on public roads, and think the lack of technology is part of that.

The new tech in modern cars have given people a greater capability to act shiney happy while driving

If you read the article it is pointing to a new type of travel. One where the concept of engagement with the vehicle diminishes relative to controlling the dynamics of the vehicle. A computer can more successfully interpret ALL the incoming information in the environment faster and correspondingly react quicker.

Consider this--how many of you can handle a horse? Yeah, me neither. Are they no longer used? No. But they are a luxury and unneeded for actual transportation in this day and age. I'm sure a hundred years ago horse enthusiasts lamented the passing of the good ole days of riding horses. That the new-fangled automobile was gonna make it too easy for anyone to get around.

I think the same applies here. We are entering a time of upheaval and change in the way in which autos fit into our lives and lifestyles.

Doesn't mean they are going away. We'll just end up at country clubs for cars driving and engaging in our free time. Not like this isn't happening already either.
Jan. 30, 2012 2:19 p.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork

vwcorvette wrote:

Should we lament this? Should we be concerned that the car of tomorrow will require less input from us? Will the numbers show that by removing the human element we make transportation safer?

Yes. yes and probably.

But they will have to pry a steering wheel out of my cold dead hands before I go to automated cars.
Jan. 30, 2012 2:39 p.m. Type Q Dork

This seems like lots of technology being developed to duplicate something that already exists. I rode to work this morning at 80 miles-per-hour in a quiet, efficient self-guided vehicle with its own dedicated route.

Its called a train.
Jan. 30, 2012 3:00 p.m. ReverendDexter SuperDork

I inherently don't like the idea of self-driving cars... BUT, I understand the desire every time I get on the freeway and see how the average person has no concept of safe following distance, how to merge, how to get up to speed on the onramp, or any understanding of right-of-way. It's then that I think MAYBE have a computer controlling the flow of traffic, at least on freeways (a la Demolition Man), might be a good thing.

Type Q: That works if you're in an area that has such things. I love light rail (which is odd because I hate buses something fierce) and wish it was more prevalent.
Jan. 30, 2012 3:08 p.m. integraguy SuperDork

I don't think anyone ever lamented the automobile as a device for making transportation TOO easy. Well, there may have been folks who had other "folks" they didn't want to be freely mobile...like parents of children or jealous husbands.

Until recently, most driver's aids made it easier to OPERATE a vehicle, we have gotten to the point where drivers of individual vehicles are soon to be superfluous. Before, if you didn't want to be involved or couldn't be involved you took "public transportation". Then someone else drove/operated the vehicle for you. We still have public transportation, so why don't folks who can't or won't get involved with the operation of a vehicle use them/it? No, they want to keep their car...just not have to drive it.
Jan. 30, 2012 3:22 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

integraguy wrote:

We still have public transportation, so why don't folks who can't or won't get involved with the operation of a vehicle use them/it?

Unless you live in an actual big city or it's surrounding area like (NYC, DC, etc) ... public transportation is pretty much unavailable in this country. If it is available - it is likely local only or involves a filthy bus full of degenerates looking like the cast from the Hills have Eyes and it will take about 300% longer to get where you are going than if you drove.

The first thing anyone who has ever taken a long trip on a Greyhound does is beg, borrow or steal a car.
Jan. 30, 2012 3:52 p.m. Type Q Dork

integraguy wrote:

We still have public transportation, so why don't folks who can't or won't get involved with the operation of a vehicle use them/it? No, they want to keep their car...just not have to drive it.

I love cars and driving as much as the average GRM reader. I hate commuting on California freeways. When I was able to find work where I use the commuter train and not have to dodge freeway idiocy, I jumped on it.
Jan. 30, 2012 5:15 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

integraguy wrote:

We still have public transportation, so why don't folks who can't or won't get involved with the operation of a vehicle use them/it?

Unless you live in an actual big city or it's surrounding area like (NYC, DC, etc) ... public transportation is pretty much unavailable in this country. If it is available - it is likely local only or involves a filthy bus full of degenerates looking like the cast from the Hills have Eyes and it will take about 300% longer to get where you are going than if you drove.

The first thing anyone who has ever taken a long trip on a Greyhound does is beg, borrow or steal a car.

There is a bus that can take me to Atlantic City.. it goes not a quarter of a mile past where I live... That said, it comes by once every hour and a half, and will take me an hour to get to work. As stated above, it full of degenerates and the last time I rode it, I came down with fleas

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