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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> spike [mailto:spike66@att.net] <br><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>…</span></b></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>>…</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>That bit about drivers swerving to flatten beasts is really working on my mind. It reminds me of slaying bulls for fun and thrills. Robo-cars will never swerve to hit things, but may be annoying with excessive caution when birds perch beside the road</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>… </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>spike</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Now that I think about it, an early robo-car will be programmed to pass only under certain circumstances. I can see this being a problem with bicycles and even pedestrians. I can easily envision an early robo-car slowing all the way down to 5 kph, and following meekly a few paces behind a pedestrian, as a string of robo-cars behind it follow suit all the way down to walking speed, as their enraged occupants scream for the wretched device to get going. This reaction of course assumes the young couple is finished with their activities, or the occupant is awake.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It isn’t clear to me that there is a good solution to the bicycle/pedestrian problem, but it has become clear to me that in one form or another, robo-cars are coming anyway and this is a problem that needs to be solved. The pent-up demand for a self-driver is enormous, from all those people who have lost their drivers’ licenses as a result of ageing eyes and slowing reflexes. For so many people, a self-driver does not need to go fast or far. They only need to haul grandma to the grocery store and bingo at the church.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>How many of us have parents or grandparents who really need a robo-car now? Mine do, very soon. Right now would be an excellent time for those things to show up at the local car dealer. They have some really good newish cars they can trade for one, three V-8s with all the trimmings for a small 4 banger with no steering wheel. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Friends, there are buttloads of money to be made here. Robo-cars will be the fourth wave in our lifetimes: computers, internet, cell phones, now robo-cars.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>spike<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>