[Travel] 'Self-driving' cars to be allowed on UK roads this year

[BiffyBoy100]

As a fellow Tesla driver, I'd seriously worry about not having my hands close to the wheel. I still find the technology really buggy.

 

[Silverhatch]

Any teething problems were ironed out a decade ago. The technology is ready and has been for some time now.

It won't be a disaster, it will be the opposite. It will be widely adopted in new vehicles and so successful that we will likely see fully automated vehicles become common place within 10 years.

And automated vehicles don't use their mobile phones on the fast lane of the M23 like some absolute **** was doing the other day.

 

[zefarelly]

If I didn't want to drive I'd use public transport or a taxi. What is the point in having a car you don't drive?

 

[Stat Brother]

If I didn't want to drive I'd use public transport or a taxi. What is the point in having a car you don't drive?

So you can check emails or watch a movie.

 

[drew]

My worry is that if I programme staying 5 or 6 car lengths behind some **** will move into the gap I am leaving.

Out of interest, on what type of road are you referring to?

 

[drew]

If I didn't want to drive I'd use public transport or a taxi. What is the point in having a car you don't drive?

Perhaps therein lies the problem, attitude to driving.

 

[Icy Gull]

Out of interest, on what type of road are you referring to?

Motorway or dual carriageway where you get impatient buggers trying to get ahead by cutting in and out of lanes, filling the safety gap left by more sensible drivers. Often without any indication, see a gap go for it.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Technology aside, can you see the insurance industry giving up approx £15 Billion of business pa without a fight ?

Because if the car is driving, there is no longer any need to insure the driver and the car manufacturer would be liable for any accident

But carry on

 

[Swansman]

Where is Ted Kaczynski when you need him

 

[Milano]

It won’t be completely safe until ALL cars are self driving.
My lads are 12 and 10, they are going to have a very different experience of learning to drive than their 50 yo dad!! On one hand I think it will be more boring than mine but on the other safer.

My only concern on self driving cars is that physics is physics, if an object appears in front of a car suddenly and inside the braking the distance then no amount of tech is going to stop the accident that follows, however people are dumb and lazy and will expect exactly that.

 

[beorhthelm]

If I didn't want to drive I'd use public transport or a taxi. What is the point in having a car you don't drive?

for your chauffeur to drive.

 

[Half Time Pies]

As a fellow Tesla driver, I'd seriously worry about not having my hands close to the wheel. I still find the technology really buggy.

Mine seems to be more buggy after recent updates for some reason!

This is the next stage for the technology, reducing errors to a point where they can satisfy the regulators that it's safe enough.

To do this I think the technology would need to be significantly safer than a human driver and significantly less error prone than it currently is.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

especially those with insider governmental connections!

this all stinks of backhanders to me.

Sorry, but that’s a bit silly. The UK is a part of a global shift to self driving cars. The technology has been developing for a number of years and is no secret. Basically, anybody has had the opportunity to invest in the future of cars whether it be self driving, electric or whatever.
Here’s an article anybody can read on the subject;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephe...f-driving-cars-go-mainstream/?sh=795c4f7d4e24

This is the future and the agenda isn’t being set by the Tories. They just happen to be the ones in Government.

 

[Stat Brother]

 

[schmunk]

Mine seems to be more buggy after recent updates for some reason!

This is the next stage for the technology, reducing errors to a point where they can satisfy the regulators that it's safe enough.

To do this I think the technology would need to be significantly safer than a human driver and significantly less error prone than it currently is.

Tesla and SpaceX have the same founder but need to follow very different development paths!

https://insideevs.com/news/503671/waymo-ceos-tesla-harm-avs/

 

[Dave the OAP]

I have that “ out of lane” thing on my car and it scares the hell out of you if the steering wheel starts to wobble!

Another idiosyncrasy of it is when driving along Dyke Road to the Dyke where there is no centre lane markings somethimes it thinks I am out of lane and I have to grip tight to stop it moving to the left!

I even get anxious when going in the Heathrow business parking pod which drives without anyone. Especially where it hammers along coming to the platform

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Saw a good piece on TV in the States about the social and economic implications of self driving vehicles. It won't just be cars, it won't be long before trucks and agricultural vehicles will be added to the list with a knock on effect on all the truck drivers and agricultural workers. At one time those people would have considered themselves immune to the fall out from automation and robotics. That may not be the case in the not too distant future

 

[beorhthelm]

Saw a good piece on TV in the States about the social and economic implications of self driving vehicles. It won't just be cars, it won't be long before trucks and agricultural vehicles will be added to the list with a knock on effect on all the truck drivers and agricultural workers. At one time those people would have considered themselves immune to the fall out from automation and robotics. That may not be the case in the not too distant future

such visions overlook the secondary role played by drivers, to deal with sites, assist load/unloading.

 

[zefarelly]

for your chauffeur to drive.

exactly what I saw at lunch time, A big Bentley.

 

[Icy Gull]

I have that “ out of lane” thing on my car and it scares the hell out of you if the steering wheel starts to wobble!

Another idiosyncrasy of it is when driving along Dyke Road to the Dyke where there is no centre lane markings somethimes it thinks I am out of lane and I have to grip tight to stop it moving to the left!

I even get anxious when going in the Heathrow business parking pod which drives without anyone. Especially where it hammers along coming to the platform

You do know that you can turn these things off don’t you?

I have turned everything off except forward collision and blind spot monitor. The only thing I absolutely love with all this modern technology is the blind spot monitor which is a yellow triangle that lights up in the wing mirror if a car is just behind or alongside. Apparently it will yank the wheel back if you try to change lane, fortunately I haven’t done that yet but comforting to know. I have always been nervous about the blind spot and have developed habitual glancing over my shoulder before changing lane.