[gps-talkusers] Re: self driving car released in 2008

True in the US, not true in other countries to such a degree although for the most part you're absolutely right. These are problems of a layer 8 nature though, not technical. Things, especially auto related, tend to be pretty far behind here in the states compared to Europe for example for pretty much the reasons you list. There's a lot of reasons not to get excited though on the technical side. Any sort of self driving cars, attended or otherwise, that navigate the intire end to end process are a long long way off! It is an interesting incrimental step though.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Baracco, Andrew W" <Andrew.Baracco@xxxxxx> 
To: <gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 12:01 PM
Subject: [gps-talkusers] Re: self driving car released in 2008



Before we get too excited, a reality check.  Even if there were a car
that could actually drive itself, respond to traffic and road
conditions, etc., both governmental entities and insurance companies
would require the presence of a licensed driver in the vehicle, in case
of equipment failure.  The BART trains in the San Francisco Bay area are
completely computer controlled, but an operator must still be present on
each train to take over control if the system fails.

Andy


-----Original Message-----
From: gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:gps-talkusers-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Scott Granados
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 10:42 AM
To: gps-talkusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gps-talkusers] self driving car released in 2008

Tangential to the topics on this list I know but GM is releasing
"traffic assist" which allows the car to drive itself, even and
especially in heavy traffic.  Using GPS, lasers, cameras and some
interesting artificial vision logic GM has a car that now can literally
drive itself.  Sure there's still need for a sited human operator but
not as much and the trend is an interesting one.  If you look at some of
the projections, some folks feel in 20 - 30 years there will be whole
lanes of most highways designated for automated / computer controled
driving.  One article I just read projected that there would be
dedicated lanes where humans would not be allowed to drive the car but
the top end speeds would exceed 150 to 200.  Since public transit is
impracticle, especially in the US, using micro vehicles that are self
driving has a lot of advantages and if the logic is beefed up enough
clearly we could be helped as well.  Not any time soon though.  Of
course, the way things are going, blindness could be a non starter of an
issue by the turn of this century anyway.  (wonder if we'll have self
navigating cars or artificial vision first?)

Here's an interesting article dealing with GM's offering.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=107011#

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