Fastest, easiest implementation will likely be an extension of the diamond lanes used for carpooling. This would somewhat ease the chaotic environment described in the article.
I am quite ready for this technology; reducing accidents while giving more free time is a double win.
However, I do want the human to have final say over the controls. I do not want an AirBus fiasco where the flight computers can override the pilot's instructions.
Thanks, Al. You've hit the nail on the head with your comment about lawsuits. There are a few big problems on the horizon. One is that many drivers won't want to give up control. Another is the legal issues that will arise when machines make mistakes. And the third is that everyone won'y buy their autonomous cars on the same day, or same year, or same decade. There's going to be a mix of human drivers and autonomous cars for awhile, and the machines will need to be able to deal with that.
I can see this as an addition instead of a replacement to how we drive today. This could help sight impaired people become more independent and mobile. It can also solve the drowsy driving issue amoung many truck drivers or long commuters.
No matter how cool, if it doesn't look sexy, it will never catch on...like the segway. Many drivers (aka mistake-prone humans) around the world love speed and versatility. And, they love showing off the skills needed to drive a car well.
Chuck, Excellent article. It makes sense to me that software algorithms are really the key to making this happen. It's not that hard to foresee the hardware being refined and relatively inexpensive but fast, accurate, decision-making is really the key. Especially given the number of lawsuits that could be spawned as a result of product liability issues.
It certainly has admirable goals - I am all for a zero fatality rate in any mode of transportation! But the complexity of successful sensor integration coupled with the challenges of interpreting unpredictable situations overwhelms me. I think doing it in stages is very smart indeed. If the technology is viable - it will certainly solve a lot of problems. I can sympathize with you Naperlou - I have two teenage sons that will soon become new drivers and I find the prospect very worrisome. Completely autonomous driving would not only eliminate the human element - it would also allow those who are uncomfortable driving themselves or who are physically impaired to utilize autonomous driving and be back on the road again...but like Beth, I do have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. I know hubby won't want to give up his 87 Cutlass so I guess they'll have to come up with a refit kit too ;)
Beth, I think it will take time to get used to this. I have trouble riding in the front when my teenage boys drive. At least I can yell at them. I guess I would yell at the car in the future.
On the serious side, I think it is interesting that the current research uses all these complex sensors. Humans use mostly just vision. Multi-sensor fusion, as it is called, is very complex. It might be better to work on vision driven algorithms. If you could merge what humans do with vision with the "concentration" that computer are good at, you would have safe roads.
I have to admit--this is one technology I have a hard time wrapping my brain around, although I know it's only a matter of time before this doesn't seem weird or scary. I think the slow and steady approach to tackling the problem in discrete phases is a necessity. Not only does it ensure everything is working up to snuff, but it gives us, as a society, time to digest and feel comfortable with the whole concept of autonomous driving cars.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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