Google's driving the future of... driving
Summary: Google has created a car that is capable of driving itself. So successfully, in fact, that it was able to travel 140,000 miles without human intervention.
Google has created a car that is capable of driving itself. So successfully, in fact, that it was able to travel 140,000 miles without human intervention.
[they drove from our] Mountain View campus to our Santa Monica office and on to Hollywood Boulevard. They’ve driven down Lombard Street, crossed the Golden Gate bridge, navigated the Pacific Coast Highway, and even made it all the way around Lake Tahoe. -- Official Google Blog
My first instinct was to question safety implications of the trek made by these cars, but Google has said that they were also manned with professional drivers that had the ability to override the system as easily as "turning off cruise control". They also talked to all the appropriate law enforcement agencies before going ahead with the plan.
I think robotic cars will be great in the future -- but I hope it's never made mandatory. Cars aren't just for getting from point A to point B -- it's sometimes about having fun too. Please don't replace my car with a boring robot -- yet.
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Talkback
I don't see this catching on for google
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
I agree, where is the fun in that?
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
Wishful thinking.
<s>Google</S> Skynet is the malware! Remember?
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
I'm not using it unless it's Windows. No Google Betas for me thank you.
You & all your CrAppleholic brothers are destined for the looney bin!
It's closed system dumb arse. Meaning you have to physically be present to alter or penetrate the system. Under isolation, no infection can ever occur. It's the same principle of the Linux OS used in Airlines and Outer Space Navigation. Embedded systems are incapable of being infected from outside their close walled environment! ....you do realize Google is using Linux don't you??? At it's not related to hackable Crackable OS-X like Windows! ;)
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
Because it is inferred that this is an automated system of flight or navigation even though it can be overridden physically by a pilot or driver. These automated navigation systems no longer use mechanical means of control initiated by any said pilot or driver. Since a computer cannot in and of itself control such mechanical controls (both "Fly by Wire" and "Drive by Wire") have come to mean an automated interface for the safe navigation and control of ships, aircraft, automobiles, etc.<br><br>Furthermore "Fly by Wire" can also be used to describe controlling of the flight of Drones. Which for you iCrAppleholics means completely unmanned navigation of aircraft!<br><br><a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/business/boe202.shtml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.seattlepi.com/business/boe202.shtml</a><br><br>Also buddy.... having been the navigator in the military on land, sea and in the air, "Fly by Wire" most certainly pertains to safe navigation of vehicles, aircraft and ships at sea by automated means. Set a course on a ship with auto pilot enabled and you are on "Drive by Wire". Which is basically no different than steering (navigating) an aircraft, ship or vehicle under automated computerized "Fly/Drive by Wire" controls!!! Sorry!!! haha.....
Try here
I Have To Say It
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
Imagine drag racing Stephen Hawking.
Let's hope.....
Sometimes people like to drive, but not usually
The real impact of automated driving technology isn't necessarily on passenger cars, but on commercial traffic. If I was a truck-driver, I'd be worried about the longevity of my job. And how about taxi-drivers? Wouldn't it be so much better to get in a cab and punch in your address and know that the cab isn't going to cheat you?
Actually the auto-taxi is one of those technologies that could be a game-changer for a greener planet. Taxi service is not cost-effective in many cities because of the human driver factor and lack of automation. But with a centrally-managed system and auto-cabs that cycle on or off depending on demand, it could revolutionize travel.
There will always be a large amount of private unmanaged travel as long as cars and gas are cheap. But when owning a car starts to cost 100 grand and gas is $25 a gallon, things could really change. And don't laugh, I expect to see it in my lifetime.
Can we skip this
Really!
The first person to build a flying Delorian would make MAD money...
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
flying DeLorean
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
The insurance companies would fight this technology by lining politicians pockets with millions and the red tape would be insurmountable.
RE: Google's driving the future of... driving
And of course, there's the question of how it handles unexpected surprises, like animals crossing the road and winter conditions. Building a car to drive on a predictable road is one thing - but building it to handle unexpected conditions is another. You'd need quite a jump in AI to handle all of the possible unexpected surprises, and frankly not much has happened in the field of AI for quite some time. I don't really have a lot of confidence in that field.
. . . and yeah, I'd also worry about malware. It's already been demonstrated that it's possible to "hack" some car systems already, and it's already pretty scary what they could theoretically do.