My Little Pony's Self Driving Cars : Othor Games

» Tue May 15, 2012 7:01 am

Google's first self-driving car user is Steve Mahan, a man who is 95% blind

http://dcurt.is/googles-first-self-driving-car-user
https://plus.google.com/u/0/116899029375914044550/posts/MVZBmrnzDio

We announced our self-driving car project in 2010 (http://goo.gl/dI6qA) with a clear goal: make driving safer, more enjoyable and more efficient.

There’s much left to design and test, but we’ve now safely completed more than 200,000 miles of computer-led driving, gathering great experiences and an overwhelming number of enthusiastic supporters.

We wanted to share one of our favorite moments from some special research we conducted. Watch this video of Steve, who joined us for a drive on a carefully programmed route to experience being behind the wheel in a whole new way. We organized this test as a technical experiment outside of our core research efforts, but we think it’s also a promising look at what this kind of technology may one day deliver for society if rigorous technical and safety standards can be met.

» Mon May 14, 2012 3:49 pm

Wait a second. Popular Science was actually right about something?

» Tue May 15, 2012 5:44 am

I could just see a SkyNet type thing taking over and killing the user in the most efficient way via car crash the instant to begin the program.

Either that or they just driving everyone into the ocean.

» Mon May 14, 2012 11:49 pm

I read an article a while back discussing autonomous cars in a little more detail. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/01/ff_autonomouscars/all/1. Also, http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/when-will-we-have-unmanned-commercial-airliners/0 discussing the future of unmanned aviation. Anyone else starting to feel like we're living in a science fiction novel?

» Mon May 14, 2012 6:56 pm

Anyone else starting to feel like we're living in a science fiction novel?

http://www.tricorderproject.org/

» Tue May 15, 2012 2:27 am

I read an article a while back discussing autonomous cars in a little more detail. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/01/ff_autonomouscars/all/1. Also, http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/when-will-we-have-unmanned-commercial-airliners/0 discussing the future of unmanned aviation. Anyone else starting to feel like we're living in a science fiction novel?

You mean how everything is white and chrome with robots slowly taking over functions that humans used to do? No, not at all.

» Mon May 14, 2012 4:23 pm

I love Google. And that is pretty awesome. I'd rather never drive in a self driving car though because I trust my judgement more than some sensors. Still really cool though.

» Mon May 14, 2012 4:42 pm

Interesting technology for the future, but I wouldn't be the first one to try it. Maybe if it's shown to be safe and reliable after a few years.

» Tue May 15, 2012 1:31 am

I love Google. And that is pretty awesome. I'd rather never drive in a self driving car though because I trust my judgement more than some sensors. Still really cool though.

I would totally be all for autonomous cars ASSUMING everyone else was also using them. If everything was guided, then it would remove all the traffic and congestion problems that plague roads today (everyone would break and start going in sync, make room for merging traffic, etc). This all goes to hell, though, once a human driver enters the scene, taking away the biggest advantages for autonomous driving for most people.

» Mon May 14, 2012 8:47 pm

I would totally be all for autonomous cars ASSUMING everyone else was also using them. If everything was guided, then it would remove all the traffic and congestion problems that plague roads today (everyone would break and start going in sync, make room for merging traffic, etc). This all goes to hell, though, once a human driver enters the scene, taking away the biggest advantages for autonomous driving for most people.

I'd feel much safer in a self driving car if everyone else had one. Human drivers scare me because most humans are idiots

» Tue May 15, 2012 1:06 am

I would totally be all for autonomous cars ASSUMING everyone else was also using them. If everything was guided, then it would remove all the traffic and congestion problems that plague roads today (everyone would break and start going in sync, make room for merging traffic, etc). This all goes to hell, though, once a human driver enters the scene, taking away the biggest advantages for autonomous driving for most people.

Unfortunately, I don't see that happening very easily. I think a lot of people love their cars/driving too much to hand them over to a computer.

» Mon May 14, 2012 11:34 pm

I'd feel much safer in a self driving car if everyone else had one. Human drivers scare me because most humans are idiots

Yup, indeed. Not to mention I personally get zero joy from driving. Not to mention if driving is automated I could do something more productive with my time, like catch up on my manga backlog

Unfortunately, I don't see that happening very easily. I think a lot of people love their cars/driving too much to hand them over to a computer.

That's why you segment the roads. Make automated car-only roads where it's illegal with heavy fines to drive on them while you control the car. Devote one or two lanes on the freeways to it like the current HOV lanes in some places. Around here, at least, it wouldn't be long before everyone realizes how much faster people in the automated lanes seem to go and reach their destinations. Traffic here is so horrible and autonomous cars could go a long way to alleviating it with everyone on-board.

» Mon May 14, 2012 9:08 pm

So this is what they mean by "hands free" in California.

I just want to see what else Google X is working on.

» Mon May 14, 2012 9:39 pm

Wow that is amazing!

» Tue May 15, 2012 5:08 am

In Sovie... ehm, I mean that's cool.

» Tue May 15, 2012 5:02 am

So wait, how does it know when to stop at the drive-through and how does it select a parking spot? Is there still some level of user control for these things?

» Tue May 15, 2012 8:08 am

I heard the free version makes your car stop at one of Google's sponsors' places of business on the way to your destination. That could be a problem when I'm running late for work.

» Mon May 14, 2012 11:26 pm

Yes, and it knows he wants to go to the "special" massage parlors by his voice internet searches.

"Tellz me where the nearest "massage" parlors are; I iz feelin' "stressed" out"wink" wink" nudge" "nudge". Guggle car, take me there nao!!!"

» Tue May 15, 2012 1:45 am

It's seems like a good thing for the handicapped, but I'd probably never use it. I actually enjoy driving, it usually make the trip seems shorter too if your the one driving. The only time I'd use it is on a really long trip where I want to get a few hours of sleep, though I probably wouldn't trust the program enough to sleep. Maybe turn it on while I eat a steak.

» Tue May 15, 2012 2:11 am

Are you suggesting.. That women don't have to drive anymore? I'm all for this. :stare:

» Mon May 14, 2012 10:01 pm

Yup, indeed. Not to mention I personally get zero joy from driving. Not to mention if driving is automated I could do something more productive with my time, like catch up on my manga backlog :tongue:

This. Well, almost this.

As someone with a visual disability, having a semi-autonomous or fully autonomous vehicle is something I'd really like. While I consider myself to be more vigilant when driving than at least 75% of the people out on the road (phone calls, texting, eating, talking, etc) I know I simply cannot see as well. So, Google Car nao plz kthxbai?

Oh, shiny fact: There's going to be a year-long pilot program here in Ann Arbor (not for the Google Car, but for http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1074540_continental-develops-semi-autonomous-car-technology, a semi-autonomous car).

» Mon May 14, 2012 6:11 pm

A nuclear powered car carrying 60 tons of explosives driven by a hyper teenager is much more safe than a Google driven car.

» Mon May 14, 2012 11:27 pm

Oh, shiny fact: There's going to be a year-long pilot program here in Ann Arbor (not for the Google Car, but for http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1074540_continental-develops-semi-autonomous-car-technology, a semi-autonomous car).

Hmmm. Hope it can navigate all the detours until they get THE BRIDGE fixed. :tongue:

» Mon May 14, 2012 6:14 pm

Hmmm. Hope it can navigate all the detours until they get THE BRIDGE fixed. :tongue:

Good point. :tongue:

Ann Arbor is full of one-way streets and students who cross at random places (hello State Street)... there's a reason I walk everywhere.

» Tue May 15, 2012 2:20 am

It's seems like a good thing for the handicapped, but I'd probably never use it. I actually enjoy driving, it usually make the trip seems shorter too if your the one driving. The only time I'd use it is on a really long trip where I want to get a few hours of sleep, though I probably wouldn't trust the program enough to sleep. Maybe turn it on while I eat a steak.

Automated driving would greatly decrease commute time as all congestion not caused by accidents is due to selfish human drivers and poor driving practices (following to close, not using blinkers, etc). Not to mention most accidents are caused by human,stupidity too. It's like queues. When you have a single queue everyone gets out faster as it takes the human element out, which is flawed, selfish, and thinks it is better than it actually is.

A nuclear powered car carrying 60 tons of explosives driven by a hyper teenager is much more safe than a Google driven car.

No, it would be immensely safer than a human behind the wheel. Add input methods for eternal data such as number of cars on the road and time before a light changes color and it would be infinitely more efficient than a human driver could ever be.