[LINK] itN: Reckless MPs okay Driverless Cars

[Jim Birch]

On 5 April 2016 at 21:46, Ivan Trundle <ivan at itrundle.com> wrote:
>
> non-sealed roads

roads under repair

overall connectivity

vehicles with signage on the back inferring that the speed limit is what it
> is not

road marking indicating other road rules which are flexible depending on
> the region and time of day

situations which are not ‘ordinary roads


Are these insurmountable problems or software versions?  Autonomous
vehicles have cruised Mars with crap connectivity and zero sealed roads,
though admittedly at low speeds and a traffic density of two vehicles per
planet.  Back here vehicles avoid jaywalkers and obstacles and are able to
cope with non-standard road conditions.  I'm sure that there are going to
be unusual situations that they don't cope with, just like other driver.
However, they learn and progress.  The idea that they won't or can't reach
an acceptable standard seems religious to me.  They don't have to reach the
flexibility of the best human drivers, they just have to reach an
acceptable cost/benefit/risk point.

Jim