[ExI] so its firetrucks

[spike at rainier66.com]

In this forum, we discussed the reasons why self-driving taxis may not be practical.  I pointed out the possibly unsurmountable difficulties with enabling crime: a coupla teenagers could work together, one steps out in front of a driverless taxi, which comes to a complete stop.  The other opens the door, grabs all the clothing of the two passengers, and runs off, depriving them of wallets, phones, credit cards, etc.  The passengers then face several problems: going to the police station where the cops just know it is a candid camera gag when two nekkid "crime victims" walk in the door.  Then they must explain to inquiring minds back at the office why they are returning from lunch wearing different clothing.  Then they must explain to the suspicious spouses why the people on that evening's episode of America's Nakedest Home Videos look a lot like his wife and her colleague.  They have a lotta splainin to do.

That only has to happen once, and BINGO, problem solved for the taxi company: no more revolting wet spots on their seats.

But...there is a more fundamental problem.

Today for the first time I saw an internet advertisement for Cruise, a driverless taxi company operating 150 of these driverless rigs in San Francisco.  Also today, I heard that a driverless taxi entered an intersection on a green light, smote a fire truck passing thru with its sirens a blarin and its blinkity lights a blinkin.  Apparently the taxi's algorithm failed to take into account that fire trucks get the right of way.

A passenger on the taxi was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  Her partner was apparently sufficiently uninjured to flee.  The taxi company is searching for him to return his clothing.

The taxi company Cruise offered this terse comment:

cruise
@Cruise
One of our cars entered the intersection on a green light and was struck by an emergency vehicle that appeared to be en route to an emergency scene. (2/5)
3:59 AM · Aug 18, 2023
·
67.9K
 Views

If you ride one in San Francisco, do keep in mind that anyone can step out and rob you, and you might be mashed beyond recognition by a racing firetruck any time you go into any intersection, have a nice vacation!

spike