[ExI] US traffic deaths dropped to new low

[Eugen Leitl]

On Fri, Apr 08, 2011 at 01:05:57PM -0600, Kelly Anderson wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 9:42 AM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
> > I predict we will not see
> > auto-autos in the next couple decades at least.
> 
> Sweet! Want to go on Stewart Brand's Long Now web site and make a wager? :-)
> 
> I can't imagine a case where autonomous vehicles aren't the default in
> 2025. People are just too slow, too inattentive (and getting worse),

That's just 14 years away. You *might* get some autonomous vehicles
and armor for the military. Which don't have to deal with liability,
unlike truckers and delivery guys.

> and too drunk at times to drive cars as safely as a good computerized
> system.

It will take many lawsuits until people will eventually get there.
 
> And yes, I agree with BillK that initially it will be something the
> driver initiates when he feels comfortable.

So what happens when the system disengages, and the driver isn't
ready, or says he isn't ready, and something happens, for parts
irrelevant? Blame assignment is a a game a lot like ballistic feces.

-- 
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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