[ExI] self driving cars

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Mike Dougherty

>...Also, nobody else I know has the nerve to call 'em "proles"...

'em as in them?  It is us.  I is a prole too.  In these days of class
warfare, being a member of the proletariat is a matter of pride.
Furthermore, it is difficult to get away from the riff raff when one is riff
raff oneself.

>...F2F is better accomplished via skype [or equivalent] the only reason for
body-to-body contact is Spike's copulating couples scenario...

It wouldn't need to be "couples" assuming one could find three or more
adventurous types.

Regarding your notion of rolling business meetings, such a thing could be a
great way to have some privacy for the purposes of a secure meeting.

>...  I think that's still better served by each driving/riding alone to a
common destination [proverbial hotel room] than engineering vehicles for
such...

Have you checked the prices of hotel rooms?  Especially around the Bay Area,
oy vey.

>... but traffic system regulation of  who I meet is next-to-last place I
want strangers forced upon me...

That whole share-a-ride-with-a-stranger notion is DOA, a non-starter.
Enabling rolling copulation in otherwise wasted time is a huge selling
point.  One could imagine professionals who ride around town all day
entertaining clientele, for instance.  Overhead expenses would be held down,
low risk of being bothered by the local constabulary, fits well with a busy
tech worker's schedule, etc.


> So are you proposing a kind of system where the human gets to think he 
> is driving, but the car is actually in charge to the extent of 
> avoiding accidents and such? That might be a nice transitional 
> technology...

Ja, and in a limited sense we already have that.  I have reverse proximity
sensors on the rear bumper of Mister Lincoln.  Now I don't even look behind
me when I back out of my garage.  It works extremely well, alerting me to
anything in the way, even a bush.  It works really well.  I have turned over
to that device the task of checking behind me.

>...I've grown completely tired of the responsibility of driving...Mike

I like driving, but I covet the 20-25 minutes each way commute to work.  I
want that time back, even if don't do the intensely exciting stuff in there.