Google’s New Self-Driving Car Unvieled - Ditches the Steering Wheel

Probably be 6-7+ years before there are decent options. These will probably end up as campus shuttles for big organizations before being adopted by regular people.

Also could replace or be incorporated into car2go and similar pay-per-minute programs.

I think people who are saying "I wouldn't drive that!" are probably a little short sighted, these are just prototypes.
 


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I dont expect google to produce the cars that end up on the road, I expect they will offer the tech to existing manufacturers to install in their vehicles or come up with new ones. A similar model to Android.
 
I love the idea of self driving cars, but no way would I get in one and go 40-60 mph with no way to take over control of it.

At least not until it's been widely used for years and proven to be safe. Still though, I think most people would be frightened to be driven around by a computer in a car that has no steering wheel or break pedal.
 
I'd be in line to buy one right quick if they added an emergency manual driving option, complete with steering wheel.

Didn't anyone at Google ever watch I, Robot?
 
Told you fuckers it wouldn't be 30 years till we have self driving cars....

Having a single self driving car is very different to self driving cars being a standard. I don't think anyone denied that self driving cars were already pretty much out there. They still have a way to go and many problems to solve though, which as you say in 7-10 years probably isn't unreasonable. Driving in the conditions of the video is very different to driving through downtown New York.

Consumer adoption of them will lag, hence me saying it'll be 20-30 years before you see them frequently. Although I'm sure there'll be tons of marketing campaigns that promote drivers as irresponsible killers and graphic government public service ads with car crashes and kids dying, before finally it's made illegal to drive your own car (sometime 2040-2060).
 
Oh wow.. I am underwhelmed by you guys.

This is a research car to find out what people want from a delf driving car.

Beer holders?
Fleshlights?

Basically, this is just a toy to find out how it should look / what it should offer.

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There are already dozens of cheap Chinese sensors on a vehicle that will keep you from going anywhere when they fail, just wait until these fail.

Good luck getting this to work on snow and or ice.
 
There are already dozens of cheap Chinese sensors on a vehicle that will keep you from going anywhere when they fail, just wait until these fail.

Good luck getting this to work on snow and or ice.

Yeah I can see it happening in two steps. Gradually more sensors will be built into cars which stop drivers from doing stupid stuff (e.g. falling asleep and swerving off the road, zoning out and driving into the car ahead, etc..)..

As people increasingly trust those mechanisms to work, self driving becomes less of a leap.
 
Having a single self driving car is very different to self driving cars being a standard. I don't think anyone denied that self driving cars were already pretty much out there. They still have a way to go and many problems to solve though, which as you say in 7-10 years probably isn't unreasonable. Driving in the conditions of the video is very different to driving through downtown New York.

Consumer adoption of them will lag, hence me saying it'll be 20-30 years before you see them frequently. Although I'm sure there'll be tons of marketing campaigns that promote drivers as irresponsible killers and graphic government public service ads with car crashes and kids dying, before finally it's made illegal to drive your own car (sometime 2040-2060).

We were talking about them being on the road with other cars....not being the primary means of transportation...
 
Yeah I can see it happening in two steps. Gradually more sensors will be built into cars which stop drivers from doing stupid stuff (e.g. falling asleep and swerving off the road, zoning out and driving into the car ahead, etc..)..

As people increasingly trust those mechanisms to work, self driving becomes less of a leap.

I guess what I am referring to is things like o2 sensors, cam shaft sensor, crank sensor, abs sensor, tire pressure sensors, emissions, fuel, egr valves, ect ect. Many of which cost $5 or $10 but your car wont run if they fail.

So with this driverless car lets say your proximity sensor goes bad, you will be stuck. There will be dozens of new sensors added to the vehicle to make this work. And all it will take is one to go and you will be stranded. Im not saying this is a reason not to proceed. But it will be a drawback.

Severe weather will be the biggest problem to solve. But if I had to guess 20 to 30 years down the road when they become normal, it will be like airplanes. The car will do 98% of the driving buy you will still need to be at the wheel for those instances where the computer needs to be overridden. That human factor will always be essential.
 
Very cool. Pretty sure the roads will get an upgrade eventually to better work with these vehicles.

Drinking and driving can be cool again.