Anyone else think fully automated cars are a bad idea?

[WyattTX]

I notice the media, and numerous advertisers, as well as many millennials, are pushing for full automated cars. This is a terrible idea because we see how many times computers malfunction. Also the artificial intelligence could not compensate fast enough for rapidly changing road conditions, or morality based decisions. How would it react to parts breakage while being driven? Driving a car is a pleasure, privelage, and strong responsobility. We should not leave such major things to machines. If the industry keeps digging deeper into such technology, we should make an agreement to boycott, and stop buying new vehicles. We may not make too much of a difference, but we have to start somewhere.

[old Rusty C10]

I agree with you but we are going to get them. the government will outlaw cars that are driver controlled and make sales of them or their parts illegal and we will be forced into this once the infrastructure is sufficient and the government deems the vehicles safe. Im also sure people will die in these and there will be snafus which we will be given the "official dialogue" about and never know the true causes and effects of these things. I am also going to say that this is another form of control because these new vehicles already can be computer tracked and your location figured out without your knowledge or consent. All of this is way more than I am comfortable with

[abig84]

theres always so many variables they dont think of. i heard a little while back a testla drove under the trailer of a semi as it was turning as the sensors didnt pick up the truck due to the gap.

i always wonder what happens if a ball of slush gets flung at your front sensors, or a plastic bag.

kinda wonder how many people are going to mess with those cars, like slightly swerve at it or brake check it to see how it works

[RDrancher]

I just returned from a 1600 mile trip in a rented 2017 Suburban. It had enough computer controlled "niceties" on it to make me despise driving it. Folks these days seem to enjoy the dumbing down of things to the point that they don't have to think or know how to do anything. No thanks.

[WyattTX]

Not trying to sound extreme but, if legislation required that we own self driving cars, I think we would be foolish to succumb to it. We can just keep just driving our conventional cars. They cant arrest all of us. This could be the next big state vs federal government dispute.

[67ChevyRedneck]

My autoCAD crashes several times per day and even my "reliable" home computer freezes now and again.

It will come down to what's acceptable. On average, there's 5.3 MILLION auto accidents throughout the world each year with hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Will there be crashes and deaths with automated cars? Yep. Will it be significantly lower than the numbers posted above? Highly likely.

Do I like it? Hell no.

[fatbass]

Time to listen to "Red Barchetta" by Rush one more time.

[hamjet]

Does this mean I can let my license laps????? By the time this happens I'll be too old to drive myself around anyway..

[fatbass]

Originally Posted by WyattTX

Not trying to sound extreme but, if legislation required that we own self driving cars, I think we would be foolish to succumb to it. We can just keep just driving our conventional cars. They cant arrest all of us. This could be the next big state vs federal government dispute.

They can have my truck when they pry my cold dead hands from the steering wheel.

[Boog]

No I'm not ready for fully automated vehicles. There is testing going on with driverless semi trucks right now. Big rigs!
You know, anything man made can fail and often does.

[WyattTX]

Originally Posted by Boog

No I'm not ready for fully automated vehicles. There is testing going on with driverless semi trucks right now. Big rigs!
You know, anything man made can fail and often does.

If these automated vehicle had a way to refuel themselves, it would take a nasty toll on the economy. You would be putting all delivery drivers out of work.

[special-K]

It is truly one of themost ridiculous things I have ever heard of and the people who are pushing for it are already the idiots that the rest will be. We are making unsafe driving conditions with all these safety features and making degenerate humans with all the convenience items pushed upon us. People need to learn to rely upon their own devices once again before we become extinct.

[mongocanfly]

The way people drive now it makes you think people already think they have automated driving cars..they sure don't pay attention to the road...everything equal I'm against it

[Ironhorse]

I posted a poll about this some time back and got pretty much the same reaction as I recall. Just because you can build it does not always mean you should build it. I totally agree with the statement about people being to detached from driving responsibilities while on the road. Recently had a young pedestrian killed locally while he was playing on his cell phone. Stepped right out into traffic with out a thought. Can only imagine how the driver that struck him feels knowing he will live with that thought for the rest of his life. Put me down for a VERY FIRM EMPAHTIC NO DAMN WAY !!

[WyattTX]

Just wait, I bet the numerous manufacturers making these self braking cars, are going get a nasty lawsuit. My friend was driving a new Ford Flex, and whek the car decided to stop itself, he nearly messed his pants! Luckily no one was hurt, but if he were on busy road, it could have caused a pile up! What is even more sickenig is the advertising for these cars. My most hated is the one where it shows the self braking car saving the lives of a distracted mother, and children. According to that commercial, a mother has no need, to ensure her kids save on the road. The car will do it for her. The people who work for the marketing department are evil for making this commercial. I will get off my soap box now...

[FleetsidePaul]

But how am I supposed to text if the car doesn't drive itself?

[franken]

An autodrive car wrecked into a truck some time ago. Autodrive not mature.

A manual drive pickup drove into a van full of people and killed a dozen--pickup driver leaped out and said I'm so sorry I was texting--he had been followed by someone who called 911 (for the pickup weaving) (15 minutes before the wreck) who said they couldn't do anything. Nope. 911 can't contact popo.

Pick your poison.

Once we drove cars and bikes aggressively (or normally), paid attention, and if it went wrong, said, crap; I f-ed up.
Today, its someone else's fault.

I see morons be they walking, on bicycles, cars or motorcycles all day, everyday doing suicidal stuff. Maybe we need automatic people. Cars are just tools. Do you know how to use the tool?

Where is the liability in the event of an accident? Autodrive has no money. That leaves you.

Anyway, in my opinion, mandated autodrive is hopefully far away...

[rocknss]

I love driving, be it my Suburban or my new Camaro. The only time I would want to be driven by a fully automated car is when I no longer can drive myself.

[68C15]

I'm wondering what kind of forum is out there full of people touting the benefits of autodrive cars. "Snowflakecentral.com"?

I also wonder if the same discussions came about with ththe advent of ABS. After all, the worst part of ABS is th thought of the guy behind you not having it.

I imagine if one of them stops suddenly and you rear end it, you will be at fault for following too close. But what happens if your auto stop car hits another that stops unexpectedly?

[davischevy]

We should have never accepted mandatory seatbelts.

That was a test to see what we would put up with.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by 68C15

I'm wondering what kind of forum is out there full of people touting the benefits of autodrive cars. "Snowflakecentral.com"?

"Snowflakecentral.com" Good one.

[special-K]

The more "safety" we add to cars, the less safety people provide for themselves. Supposed to be 100% responsible for ourselves. I'd say it's getting down to 50% or less for a huge amount of drivers. It's one thing to come from the time before all this and adapt to it. It's another thing to be coming up with this being the only thing you know. Just like all those who might as well have no car to drive if their only choice is a manual shift, so are other driving abilities and awareness being lost from the added devices. We are killing ourselves with convenience.

[slomotion]

So, how do these self driving vehicles know where to go to begin with? Do you plug an address into the GPS? My GPS has given me wrong directions in the past. It tried to send me down a couple of one way streets the wrong way.
How will the self driver know that the gas/electric station it just passed was the last one before it ran out?
In the case of a minor accident will the thing totally shut down until a tech resets it? If you hit a squirrel, deer, porcupine, or some other animal in a rural setting will it think it was in an accident and quit?

If I had to ride in one of them I'd be so nerved up I'd have to take a day or two off just to calm back down.

I think it's a terrible idea.

[JON67]

Most data shows that eliminating the human factor from driving will both improve traffic flow, and drastically reduce collision fatalities. Unforseen emergencies aside, most accidents happen because of bad human driving. computers will eliminate this. computers are predictable. humans aren't. Insurance rates should also plummet.

They are estimating that by 2030 all cargo will be distributed by driverless trucks. I think the driverless car debate is moot though. my belief is in the future most people will opt to use a car service like Uber, eliminating the need for a car, license, insurance any all the other expenses needed. at least in more urban areas.

I am already starting to see this with my kids' generation. my son is 18 and expressed zero interest in driving. and even now, anytime I bring up him getting a car. he gets super anxious thinking about the expense. He says it is not worth it to him.

[shp4man]

They'll get my truck when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.