Will you buy cars that drive themselves?

[sonak]

I know that they already have them in some places, and that some places are considering laws regulating their use. What amazes me is reactions along the lines of "I would never buy a car that drives itself."

Er, a self-driving car, unlike a Human, is never going to be drunk, or speed, blow a stop sign or red light, or change lanes aggressively when there's not enough room and just expect you to get out of the way. I hate driving. I find it stressful and dangerous, especially in winter weather. If we had better public transportation in a lot of areas, I would never drive and not have a car. But as long as that's not politically feasible, I say bring on the self-driving cars. They'd probably lower the accident and driving fatality rates by a ton.

 

[Christopher]

Didn't we have a thread like this just a month or two ago? Anyway, I agree -- I'd love to have a car that drove itself, so that I wouldn't have to worry about hurting someone or getting hurt if I let my attention lapse at the wrong moment. Although the main technical problem that remains to be surmounted is that the existing sensors used by self-driving cars don't work in heavy rain or snow, and that's just when you'd need them the most.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Yes, please. I have to make 10-hour drives a few times a year, and I'd absolutely love to be able to kick back with a book or something while the car does all the work. I don't really enjoy driving. It's a necessary activity, but one I'd prefer not to bother with.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Driving can be pleasurable depending on traffic and road condition.
So for recreational use a self driving car should have an over ride option.
I would step into one, of course but it would feel really realy weird.

 

[auntiehill]

I would love a self-drive car but unfortunately, an actual, practical, working retail model is still a long ways off.

 

[scotpens]

I know that they already have them in some places, and that some places are considering laws regulating their use.

Where? Links, sources?

A self-driving car misses the entire point of driving, which is that YOU are in control. I happen to like driving. I enjoy slipping behind the wheel, skillfully controlling and maneuvering a vehicle in traffic, and shifting gears with a manual transmission. For me, driving isn't just a way of getting from A to B; it's a worthwhile and pleasurable activity in its own right.

But I can understand why some people hate driving. Hell, some people love cooking. I hate to cook. Chacun à son goût.

People who don't want to drive should use public transportation. Places that don't have good public transportation should get better public transportation.

Didn't we have a thread like this just a month or two ago?

Yes, we did.

This one also.

 

[Ramicus]

As someone who is currently learning to drive, I enjoy it. I wouldn't want to never drive again. Then again, it might sometimes be nice to kick back and relax as the scenery goes flying by. So having the option would be nice, but not all the time.

 

[Snaploud]

I would absolutely buy a car that drives itself. Driving in traffic is stressful, and I would much rather be spending that time reading/watching tv/napping/etc.

 

[shapeshifter]

Hell no! If I didn't want to drive I'd take a cab, bus, train or plane.

 

[FPAlpha]

My workplace is a little over half an hour away which is ok as driving time and it helps me wake up further each morning when i need to concentrate.

Additionally i kinda like to road rage once in a while and get worked up over the stupidity of other drivers, it's my aggression therapy

However i don't like driving long stretches on the highway because it's mostly boring. For this i'd really like a safe, well working automated driving system which you can activate and then read something or watch a movie while you cover the distance.

We will see this in our lifetime, i'm pretty sure. It may take another 10-20 years before it's so safe that it can be released for public usage but it will come. Looking forward to trying it out for the first time and i'm pretty sure it will be very awkward.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

You know what'll be hilarious? When people have stuffed game sitting in the front seat of their driverless cars. For instance:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJP1DphOWPs[/yt]

 

[sidious618]

I would buy one and get a lot of sleeping done.

 

[Lindley]

Any autodrive feature will requiring human monitoring. It will reduce the driver's workload, but not eliminate it---at least, for the near future. Same way autopilots work.

 

[Christopher]

A self-driving car misses the entire point of driving, which is that YOU are in control.

No, the point of driving is to get from one place to another. The rest is just what we've been brainwashed into wanting by the auto industry.

I happen to like driving. I enjoy slipping behind the wheel, skillfully controlling and maneuvering a vehicle in traffic, and shifting gears with a manual transmission. For me, driving isn't just a way of getting from A to B; it's a worthwhile and pleasurable activity in its own right.

If that were all it were for, we could do it on race tracks where there weren't any pedestrians to endanger. This isn't an ego issue, it's a safety issue. The estimated number of people killed in traffic in the 20th century is comparable to the death toll of World War II. There are slightly more traffic deaths in the US per year than there are gun deaths. That's far too high a price to pay for "happening to like driving." There are people who happen to like shooting guns too, but they're supposed to do it in controlled conditions on firing ranges, not out on public streets.

At the very least, we need manually driven cars with improved safety systems for collision avoidance, automatic systems that take over when a human driver's reaction time or judgment is inadequate to prevent someone from being hurt.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Absolutely, I would, assuming it works well and is affordable, if I needed a car.

 

[sonak]

I know that they already have them in some places, and that some places are considering laws regulating their use.

Where? Links, sources?

A self-driving car misses the entire point of driving, which is that YOU are in control. I happen to like driving. I enjoy slipping behind the wheel, skillfully controlling and maneuvering a vehicle in traffic, and shifting gears with a manual transmission. For me, driving isn't just a way of getting from A to B; it's a worthwhile and pleasurable activity in its own right.

But I can understand why some people hate driving. Hell, some people love cooking. I hate to cook. Chacun à son goût.

People who don't want to drive should use public transportation. Places that don't have good public transportation should get better public transportation.

Didn't we have a thread like this just a month or two ago?

Yes, we did.

This one also.

who says the point of driving is control? You? I say it's about economic necessity and convenience.(I don't have to plan my trips around bus or train schedules)

How about I turn it around? If you don't like cars that drive themselves don't buy them. Buy the ones you drive yourself. I'd rather rely on something that's not going to get drunk or road rage or make misjudgments on distance or speed.

 

[Kestra]

Yes please. I hate driving and only do it because it's necessary.

 

[MacLeod]

I know that they already have them in some places, and that some places are considering laws regulating their use. What amazes me is reactions along the lines of "I would never buy a car that drives itself."

Er, a self-driving car, unlike a Human, is never going to be drunk, or speed, blow a stop sign or red light, or change lanes aggressively when there's not enough room and just expect you to get out of the way. I hate driving. I find it stressful and dangerous, especially in winter weather. If we had better public transportation in a lot of areas, I would never drive and not have a car. But as long as that's not politically feasible, I say bring on the self-driving cars. They'd probably lower the accident and driving fatality rates by a ton.

Snow is one of the worst things to drive in, but weather is just one factor, and what some drivers do is not adapt their driving to suit the conditions. Many I time I've been overtaken by some idiot who clearly thinks 80+ on the motorway when visibility is less than 100 yards is safe. Idiots who forgoet to put their fog lights on etc..

 

[Lindley]

Snow is one of the worst things to drive in

Freezing rain is much, much worse than snow.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Fully agreed. You can get some traction on snow, if you take it slow. Solid ice? That's a "no."