[ExI] uber is doing what?

[spike]

From: extropy-chat [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of William Flynn Wallace
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2016 10:02 AM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Subject: Re: [ExI] uber is doing what?

 

>>…Uber directs a self-driver with an actual human behind the wheel to pick up the passenger.  The operator perhaps needs no special skills, such as how to drive, since the car does that task.  spike

  

>…If there is a wreck, is the operator liable?  bill w

 

 

 

Ja, sure is.  

 

This whole thing brings up some interesting questions.  In our society, if anything goes wrong, somebody somewhere is assigned liability for it.  This prevents under our current notions of liability the kinds of developments I was hoping to see: a fleet of cars with no steering wheel anyone could call up and have it come, passenger gets in, car takes passenger anywhere, no privacy compromise, no driver to see the local Methodist minister falling down drunk, lower prices since you don’t need to pay for a human’s time, etc, such a deal.  

 

But clearly the passenger isn’t liable.  Nothing she can do from the back seat with no steering wheel.  No human operator.  It is a cool scenario, but can’t play out unless there is someone to blame if anything goes wrong, and some deep pockets to pay for it.  It is easy enough to foresee some unemployed former taxi driver causing an Uber-bot to create an injury, then suing Uber for a trillion dollars, no more Uber.

 

spike

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