Fasten Your Seatbelts: Google's Driverless Car

[skeemer]

Much of the reporting about Google’s driverless car has mistakenly focused on its science-fiction feel. While the car is certainly cool—just watch the video below about a 95%-blind man running errands—the gee-whiz focus suggests that it is just a high-tech dalliance by a couple of brash young multibillionaires, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

In fact, the driverless car has broad implications for society, for the economy and for individual businesses. Just in the U.S., the car puts up for grab some $2 trillion a year in revenue and even more market cap. It creates business opportunities that dwarf Google’s current search-based business and unleashes existential challenges to market leaders across numerous industries, including car makers, auto insurers, energy companies and others that share in car-related revenue.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/chunkamu...rth-trillions/

This 6 part series (4/6 printed so far) delves into the potential (massive) impacts that the Google driverless car could have on our economy. While I'm not as optimistic as the writer that driverless cars are coming as soon as he is, I do think the next generation of 'drivers' (those in school but not yet in the driver's seat) will be spectators rather than drivers.

A fascinating series that I hope you find time to read. Exciting times we live in!

[bmorepunk]

This idea has obviously been around for a very long time, but seeing the research moves to implement it raises a lot of questions. How long until this sort of thing is really viable on a large scale? How does it get implemented?

Things like collision reduction to Google's goals can only be realized if everybody buys in. Overall you really only see the true efficiency if everybody is using the same vehicles in the same system. Those of us driving archaic person-piloted vehicles would be able to seriously ruin the efficiency of the system (a large number of people make already things incredibly inefficient for everyone daily in a failed attempt to be selfish in this metro area).

I don't see how you get this implemented without the government stepping in and requiring a phased conversion. There will be a lot of backlash against that. We could already do many things to improve the rates of collision and traffic, but these sorts of things are wildly unpopular. For example, we could do wonders with ramp meters in this area, but the backlash would be quite severe.

[Bmoreteacher]

This idea has obviously been around for a very long time, but seeing the research moves to implement it raises a lot of questions. How long until this sort of thing is really viable on a large scale? How does it get implemented?

Things like collision reduction to Google's goals can only be realized if everybody buys in. Overall you really only see the true efficiency if everybody is using the same vehicles in the same system. Those of us driving archaic person-piloted vehicles would be able to seriously ruin the efficiency of the system (a large number of people make already things incredibly inefficient for everyone daily in a failed attempt to be selfish in this metro area).

I don't see how you get this implemented without the government stepping in and requiring a phased conversion. There will be a lot of backlash against that. We could already do many things to improve the rates of collision and traffic, but these sorts of things are wildly unpopular. For example, we could do wonders with ramp meters in this area, but the backlash would be quite severe.

I think there's also the question of "What happens when the technology fails?" With my old cell phone, it just worked. Yes, the antenna broke off sometimes, but otherwise, it made calls and sent texts. With my iPhone, I have to constantly update apps and the system to fix bugs or I won't be able to use my phone. I'd imagine the same would be true for this. If the technology breaks, would you be able to manually drive the car to the mechanic? Also, mechanics would need to totally overhaul how they look at auto repairs. They've had to do that quite a bit as is with all the computer equipment under the hood of a new car, but this would mean a new era of votech training for mechanics.

[skeemer]

This idea has obviously been around for a very long time, but seeing the research moves to implement it raises a lot of questions. How long until this sort of thing is really viable on a large scale? How does it get implemented?

Things like collision reduction to Google's goals can only be realized if everybody buys in. Overall you really only see the true efficiency if everybody is using the same vehicles in the same system. Those of us driving archaic person-piloted vehicles would be able to seriously ruin the efficiency of the system (a large number of people make already things incredibly inefficient for everyone daily in a failed attempt to be selfish in this metro area).

I don't see how you get this implemented without the government stepping in and requiring a phased conversion. There will be a lot of backlash against that. We could already do many things to improve the rates of collision and traffic, but these sorts of things are wildly unpopular. For example, we could do wonders with ramp meters in this area, but the backlash would be quite severe.

Give the series a read when you have some time. Forbes has also published at least one rebuttal to this series who's author quashes the idea. Like I said I don't think it's the sure bet that the author of this series does, but I do think there is a future for this type of technology. It has the same type of revolutionary potential that the jet engine was to air travel/cargo or the steam/diesel engines were to sea travel.

As someone who works in the highway infrastructure industry, this could potentially put a large dent in my future career prospects (less cars needed + faster speeds + less overdesign for human error = reduction in infrastructure), but I find it fascinating nonetheless. I love the idea of scheduling a car from my phone or tablet and it arriving at my house 10 minutes later, then sleeping on the ride in to the office, then watching the evening news on the ride home.

[Fang]

This sucks for road rage drivers. Who will they flip the finger to now?

[boink]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/chunkamu...rth-trillions/

This 6 part series (4/6 printed so far) delves into the potential (massive) impacts that the Google driverless car could have on our economy. While I'm not as optimistic as the writer that driverless cars are coming as soon as he is, I do think the next generation of 'drivers' (those in school but not yet in the driver's seat) will be spectators rather than drivers.

A fascinating series that I hope you find time to read. Exciting times we live in!

the car has a driver's license in Nevada
------------------

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2...lf-driving-car

Nevada Issues a Driver's License to Google's Self-Driving Car

The applicant had to drive flawlessly on highways, through neighborhoods, and on the Strip, while Department of Motor Vehicles officials rode along sternly monitoring its skill. When it passed the test, it became the first autonomous vehicle officially licensed to drive on the nation's roads with no human intervention.

Google's driverless cars, which it surprised the world with in 2010, use radar, lidar, and video sensors to view the world, coupled with the aggregated knowledge of human drivers. We saw the latest video demonstration in March , when blind driver Steve Mahan took one for a spin.

This is just the beginning. Cars that can drive themselves have the potential to radically change our physical and cultural landscape. If you're in Vegas today and you see a car go by with no driver, though, stand back....

[dialtone]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/chunkamu...rth-trillions/

This 6 part series (4/6 printed so far) delves into the potential (massive) impacts that the Google driverless car could have on our economy. While I'm not as optimistic as the writer that driverless cars are coming as soon as he is, I do think the next generation of 'drivers' (those in school but not yet in the driver's seat) will be spectators rather than drivers.

A fascinating series that I hope you find time to read. Exciting times we live in!

I want one NOW!

[dogstarman]

While I think it will be possible to someday have "driver-less cars" that are safer and vastly more efficient on a large scale, that's not what the future is going to look like.

Instead, we'll see a LOT more pedestrian-friendly urban layouts, more public transportation, more people working from home or very close to their homes. People in the future will be tickled at how we had to "move ourselves" to get things done rather than just shuttle data back and forth to wherever we happen to be.