Self Driving Cars.

[Caran]

I do not understand this at all. I see they are having self driving taxis in London in 3 years. So! I phone taxi firm, taxi turns up at my home. Without any driver. I get in and say to taxi I want to go to Gloucester and it takes itself of to town with no driver. Is that right?
Seems very dangerous to me.

[tonyav]

It may take you the scenic route, Caran.

[tonyav]

You'll need to get an app on your phone, Caran.

[Hopkirk]

Don't worry. It's never going to happen.

[Buenchico]

>>> Don't worry. It's never going to happen.

Wanna take a bet on that, Hopkirk? I'm prepared to stake a hundred quid on it being launched within 10 years from now.

[Hopkirk]

Yes, I'll take your bet.

They'll get to 99 per cent of the way to self driving cars, but unable to crack the final problems before giving up.

[waterboatman]

That's right Caran. It works like a satnav, it has sensors all over it that will steer it, stop it etc.

Do you live near Gloucester?

[TonyV]

Hoppy do you think the same was said about un horse drawn carriages 100 years ago?

[emmie]

i won't be indulging to be honest, the idea of driverless taxi's makes me go weak at the knees.

[bhg481]

Driverless taxis will be unsafe?

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/reading-cabbie-accused-of-sexual-assault-appeals-after-losing-taxi-licence/

[fiction-factory]

>So! I phone taxi firm, taxi turns up at my home. Without any driver. I get in and say to taxi I want to go to Gloucester
No I think it's pretty likely you'll give the exact address to someone on the end of a phone.
But have you got a link please as I doubt they will be 100% driver free in 3 years time. Do you mean there will be trials in London?

[fiction-factory]

^ or book via an app. But you'd have to specify the exact address to collect you from and to take you to.

[Hopkirk]

For this to work the technology has to work 100% of the time.

I drive lorries and new ones now must have lane departure warning and advanced emergency braking fitted. However both systems regularly give false warnings.

The lane departure warning senses the lane markings, and warns you if you cross the lines without indicating. This is I guess similar technology to what self drive cars will use.

However it regularly gets confused by old road works, and mastic joint sealants.

No way would I trust it to take control.

[bhg481]

Admittedly these devices aren't perfect yet but they are improving. If emergency braking had been fitted to a lorry involved in an accident on the M4 recently three of my grandsons' friends would still be alive. Such devices are being fitted to new vehicles because it is recognised that human drivers are too incompetent and/or too inconsiderate to cope with.