Is Skynet online already?

[skjl47]

And the ratio of passenger deaths in self-driving cars is overall much lower than human-driven cars.

Hello; There is a flaw in this logic. Something like it is ok if something we do not need to have around in the first place kills a few people as long as it kills fewer people that an equivalent human operator.
I can see self-driving machines being used in a lot of places just not on a public road. Maybe after a long time when most of the kinks are worked out they may have a place on public roads. I think the companies pushing self-driving machines have something other than public safety in mind.

Here is an unrelated but in the same sort of ballpark example. I have recently been looking at new cars. I find some bothersome trends. One has been around a while. On my 2004 Silverado the headlights are automatic. I cannot turn the auto headlight feature off. Most of the time this is not a problem. I do however drive thru a tunnel very often. About a third of the way into the tunnel my headlights come on when the sensor is tripped. I know this aggravates other drivers because it bothers me when their headlights come on in my mirror. Not a major thing but still some thing the designers could not anticipate.

 

[CarpCharacin]

But isn't less deaths better than more deaths? Self-driving cars are a human creation, I don't think that they will ever be perfect, but I think they have the potential to be better than human drivers in most situations, but then again, a car that is fully self driving and that could not be driven manually would be a technology that would further take freedom away from the person using the technology, but that's arguably the nature of technological development, so I can kind of see it from both perspectives.

 

[Warborg]

I think 1 problem with self driving cars is they are driving next to a human driver and it can't calculate a human response.

 

[Fat Homer]

Also, living in a humid place, i cant tell you how often electronics on cars fail due to humidty effecting some parts of the circuitry...

 

[skjl47]

But isn't less deaths better than more deaths?

Hello; Yes of course, but there are some things to consider. You are the officer having to tell someone about a traffic fatality due to a malfunctioning robot car. Would you say there were twice as many killed by human drivers the same day?
We are people and have come to grips about problems dealing with each other. Sure if they can get the self drivers to near perfect I will change my tune (If I am still alive, which I doubt.) Right now the companies are spending big to develop but at some point the cars will have to be commercially viable.
You may not recall the Ford Pinto gas tank explosions. The design was poor and the Ford honchos learned of it. They crunched the numbers and decided it would cost less to pay off for those who burned to death than to stop selling known death traps or do a recall. Not just Ford by the way.
Can you picture government vehicles built by the lowest bidder?

they have the potential to be better than human drivers in most situations,

Hello; I know about potential. I taught school to thousands of students with potential. I also know what happened to the potential.
Consider the exploding air bags that have the potential to save lives with exploding being the operative word. Also consider the added cost of such things when many are struggling to get by.

I think 1 problem with self driving cars is they are driving next to a human driver and it can't calculate a human response.

Hello; This. I see stupid stuff almost every time I drive. Oh, by the way will the self-drivers be programed to go at the exact speed limit. I generally do about 5 mph over the limit but sometimes have to do more just to keep from being a moving road block. I have seen the problems slow drivers cause with others trying to get around them.

how often electronics on cars fail due to humidty effecting some parts of the circuitry...

Hello; This also.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Hello; Yes of course, but there are some things to consider. You are the officer having to tell someone about a traffic fatality due to a malfunctioning robot car. Would you say there were twice as many killed by human drivers the same day?
We are people and have come to grips about problems dealing with each other. Sure if they can get the self drivers to near perfect I will change my tune (If I am still alive, which I doubt.) Right now the companies are spending big to develop but at some point the cars will have to be commercially viable.
You may not recall the Ford Pinto gas tank explosions. The design was poor and the Ford honchos learned of it. They crunched the numbers and decided it would cost less to pay off for those who burned to death than to stop selling known death traps or do a recall. Not just Ford by the way.
Can you picture government vehicles built by the lowest bidder? Uhhh I hate it when that kind of thing happens, it's why the u.s military uses cheap .223 rifles/carbines and .9mm side arms both of which have subpar performance, but hey, they got it for cheap! Lol.

Hello; I know about potential. I taught school to thousands of students with potential. I also know what happened to the potential.
Consider the exploding air bags that have the potential to save lives with exploding being the operative word. Also consider the added cost of such things when many are struggling to get by.


Hello; This. I see stupid stuff almost every time I drive. Oh, by the way will the self-drivers be programed to go at the exact speed limit. I generally do about 5 mph over the limit but sometimes have to do more just to keep from being a moving road block. I have seen the problems slow drivers cause with others trying to get around them.


Hello; This also.

 

[jaws7777]

Idk man i honestly dont see a scenario where our transportation system switches over to self driving cars. Its one thing for these companies to tinker with it and push the boundaries. Maybe this ends up being used in a select few fields like military or industrial areas but not on our streets and highways.

We have a crumbling infrastructure as is. I would think our highways, bridges, tunnels ect ect would need to be retrofitted to some extent. Im more scared of the ghost in the machine side of this

 

[FMA4ME]

Idk man i honestly dont see a scenario where our transportation system switches over to self driving cars. Its one thing for these companies to tinker with it and push the boundaries. Maybe this ends up being used in a select few fields like military or industrial areas but not on our streets and highways.

We have a crumbling infrastructure as is. I would think our highways, bridges, tunnels ect ect would need to be retrofitted to some extent. Im more scared of the ghost in the machine side of this

I agree here. Especially about our crumbling infrastructure.(roads) A lot of self driving technology read markers on the road. Imperfections in the road, less than ideal conditions, reliability on satellite, could be too many variables now. Imo self driving cars now are about making money.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

I think self driving cars will slowly (over a decade or three) takeover, especially for vehicles that are for public transport, for example trains,semis,buses etc would ideal places to start.

 

[jaws7777]

I think self driving cars will slowly (over a decade or three) takeover, especially for vehicles that are for public transport, for example trains,semis,buses etc would ideal places to start.

You could be right but i think the liability alone plus political talking points would keep them out of the public sector