[ExI] self driving cars again

[spike]

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/googles-self-driving-c
ars-300-000-miles-logged-not-a-single-accident-under-computer-control/260926
/

 

 

Ever since Google began designing its self-driving cars, they've wanted to
build cars that go beyond the capabilities of human-piloted vehicles, cars
that are much, much safer. When Sebastian Thrun announced the project in
2010, he wrote
<http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-were-driving-at.html> ,
"According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million lives are
lost every year in road traffic accidents. We believe our technology has the
potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half."

New data indicate that Google's on the right path. Earlier this week the
company announced
<http://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-self-driving-car-logs-more-mil
es-on.html>  that the self-driving cars have now logged some 300,000 miles
and "there hasn't been a single accident under computer control." (
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/science/10google.html> The New York Times
did note in a 2010 article that a self-driving car was rear-ended while
stopped at a traffic light, so Google must not be counting the incidents
that were the fault of flawed humans.

Woohoo!  Way to go, Thrun!  

 

Work quickly lads, please.  I have six parents who need this technology
riiiight nooooow.  Between all six, they own 11 cars, and will gladly give
you all of them for three self-drivers, one for each couple.

 

I thought of an interesting idea.  I have a relative who really wants to go
touring the northwest, but she isn't a good enough driver and has no
companion.  She was married to the same man for 58 years before he passed
away about 8 yrs ago.  Now she wants to go touring one last time, but does
not want to remarry and considers it improper to shack up, even at age
nearly 90.  She is in terrific shape for her age and has pleeeeenty of
money, plenty.  She doesn't want to hire a driver, but wants to go road
touring for a few weeks, one last time, just once.  

 

With this tech, we could perhaps rig up a nifty little one-up camper
motorhome.  It wouldn't need to be much for a single person, especially a
small one, like my great aunt.  I bet a Ford Econoline van would be plenty
for that application.

 

Stanford lad, work quickly please, hurry.

 

spike

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/attachments/20120811/bd14ede1/attachment.html>