What do you think about self-driving cars?

[CB11ACD]

Hello Golfers!

Self-driving cars are coming. Over the next 10 years we will see more and more cars with self-driving features, and they could potentially reduce colliisions, reduce congestion and the time that you get back by not driving can be spent doing other things. This is a promise that is shared by most manufacturers, but what do people actually want?

This question and many more facinate me so much that I quit my job as a senior research engineer for a car company to start a PhD (and a massive pay cut, which im not bitter about...).

My research area is focussed on the human aspect of future vehicles, how people will use them and what their needs, concerns and motivations are. To do this I have created a 3 year plan which starts with a short 5-10 minute survey which aims to understand the views of the genral public.

When this study concludes at the end of this year, results will be published in academic journals and will inform future vehicle design.

I would also like to add, I am interested in all views. If you hate the idea of a self-driving car, love it, or feel indifferent I am interested in your views.

A link to the survey can be found here: https://lboro.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/re-inventing-the-journey-experience

As a way of giving back, I am happy to carry on the discussion about future vehicle interior design (as this is my research area) and clear up any myths (with proper scientific referencing).

I hope this is ok to post here!

Thank you for reading!

 

[CliveW]

I can see this working in built up areas, but not in rural situations where the human perception and situation awareness is better. Voice recognition isn't all it's made out to be. This clip might be funny, but in my experience it is true!

 

[User62651]

Great, get a kip on the way to work!

 

[USER1999]

I think it will be tough to phase in, as I don't think the unpredictability of human drivers will mix well with the autonomous self driven cars. If 100% were self drive, fair enough. It does beg the question, why buy a Ferrari though.

 

[bobmac]

This, from Mar 2017

 

[Imurg]

I think it will be tough to phase in, as I don't think the unpredictability of human drivers will mix well with the autonomous self driven cars. If 100% were self drive, fair enough. It does beg the question, why buy a Ferrari though.

This.
It scares me to death to envisage self driving cars out there with humans driving ordinary cars.
From what I've heard the "driver" needs to be ready, at the moment, to take over control at a moment's notice.
That's simply not good enough and pointless.
In order to be able to take over in a situation the non-driving driver needs to be concentrating on the road as much as they would if they were driving.....so just drive the car yourself.
Truly autonomous cars can only, as far as I'm concerned, be 100% of the cars on the road or 0%
Mix the two and I can absolutely guarantee that there will be some idiots out there who will try to beat the computer and crash into the self-drive car.
It's all or nothing for me and that's very hard to do.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Dont like the idea, nor want them.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I can see this working in built up areas, but not in rural situations where the human perception and situation awareness is better. Voice recognition isn't all it's made out to be. This clip might be funny, but in my experience it is true!

Oh so true.

 

[CB11ACD]

This.
From what I've heard the "driver" needs to be ready, at the moment, to take over control at a moment's notice.

To clear this point up.

This is a very frequent comment, and one I completely agree with. What you describe is considered by the SAE [1] as "level 3". There are 6 levels of autonomy as defined by the SAE with 0 being no assistive technology, to level 5 which is full autonomy where the car can deal with any scenario, in any weather condition and so you would not need a steering wheel.

Level 3 is as you describe, with the need to take back control in an emergency situation. The other important point to consider with level 3 is the occupant is responsible for the vehicle which leads to confusion. Level 4 is where my focus is and in level 4 the occuapnt is not responsible, and in any emergency situation the car will be capable of either slowly handing back control safely or the car can pull over and wait for the occupant to take back control in their own time.

The reason my work revolves around level 4 and not level 5 is because level 5 is likely so far in the future it is not worth considering yet.

[1] https://www.sae.org/news/press-room...utomation”-standard-for-self-driving-vehicles

 

[Hobbit]

I have no problem with self drive cars being in control in the case of an emergency. Electronics responds far quicker to an emergency. All the car needs to recognise is there is something wrong, it doesn't have to then decide what is the outside problem. Emotion can get in the way where humans are concerned... My better half has actually shouted "Brian, when a problem occurred," and she was driving. What can I do when sat half asleep in the passenger seat.

 

[Dibby]

I have no problem with self drive cars being in control in the case of an emergency. Electronics responds far quicker to an emergency. All the car needs to recognise is there is something wrong, it doesn't have to then decide what is the outside problem. Emotion can get in the way where humans are concerned... My better half has actually shouted "Brian, when a problem occurred," and she was driving. What can I do when sat half asleep in the passenger seat.

I agree with all this, plus I'm assuming AI in cars won't develop the need to "impress" its mates, bird or whoever else, by driving like a ***, or feel the need to "teach other drivers a lesson" for perceived wrongs. The intro period with humans and self-driving cars is the biggest danger in my opinion.

Is level 5 even theoretically possible? Surely at some point, any software or hardware can fail, how much redundancy is needed for there to be absolutely no human intervention? Maybe I am just bound by conventional thinking of the current age, but I struggle to comprehend the idea of never needing human intervention.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I like driving. I have a fantastic route to work through the Peak District, so wouldn’t want self drive for that.

But would happily be driven on motorways or when I’ve been drinking

 

[CB11ACD]

Is level 5 even theoretically possible? Surely at some point, any software or hardware can fail, how much redundancy is needed for there to be absolutely no human intervention? Maybe I am just bound by conventional thinking of the current age, but I struggle to comprehend the idea of never needing human intervention.

There will probably be tripple redundency built in. For the scenarios where even they all fail, or there really is something that the car can't figure out, some are theorising there will be a central control center with drivers to take over control. I expect level 5 cars will be fleet vehicle/taxi like services rather than owned by the occupant.

Level 5 is so far out that its alsmost not worth thinking about.

I appreciate all of this feedback, and it is always interesting for me to hear the views of people who are a lot less invloved in the automotive industry. I would really really appreciate it if you could also express your opinions through the survey, should only take about 7 minutes.

 

[bobmac]

Level 5 is so far out that its alsmost not worth thinking about.

Did you watch the video from post no.5?

 

[ColchesterFC]

Who would be liable in the event of an accident? Would it be the "driver" who isn't actually driving or the manufacturer? Would we still need insurance or would we be covered under manufacturers insurance?

 

[jim8flog]

I have been in many situations where the correct response to avoid an accident is to hit the accelerator hard rather than the brake pedal. I wonder how computer controlled cars will be programmed to show that this is the correct driving procedure.

 

[CB11ACD]

Did you watch the video from post no.5?

Yes that is a demo of level 4, they are in quite a controlled environment (motorway) in good weather conditions.

If the demo was driving around a country lane into a city when snowing or a low winter sun on a wet road, then it could be considered much closer to level 5.

Getting to level 4 is not that far away for some geographical areas such as motorways. level 5 requires every fringe case to be programmed in with every weather variable.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I can see benefits in cities and definitely on motorways. What worries me is combining autonomous and non autonomous on the same roads, cars pulling out, slip roads etc. Two examples spring to mind.

Driving along a dual carriageway, A1. I can do 70mph, I'm in the inside lane, the outside lane is rammed and I can not pull out. I am coming up to where a slip road joins and I see a tractor or combine on the slip road, common occurrence here especially during harvest time. I can see the tractor joining the road ahead so I slow down rather than ram it. How does the driverless car deal with it? The tractor is not on my road yet, it is on the slip road. The tractor is going 20 mph, I'm doing 70mph. My car will break once the tractor enters my radar zone but the gap allowed may not be great enough to go from 70-20, or if it is will be be violent braking, not gradual. (I had this whilst using ACC so it is something I expereinced. I did of course over ride the ACC but it got me thinking)

Scenario 2, another one I see often. I drive to work along a staright, fast road at one point. There are junctions where people join from a standing start. I know that idiots will pull out on me every so often, you can sense it. I allow for these idiots and am prepared for their stupidity. Does the driverless car allow for it or does it just see an empty road and a 60mph speed limit. Again, will it just have to do a violent brake when the idiot car enters my radar zone?

In essence, humans can anitcipate problems, see ahead. Computers can not. Saying that, humans make lots of dangerous decisions, pulling out as described, so remove that and the roads can become safer. How to deal with the mix though?

I can sense this being a little like 3D tv's. Mfrs like the sound of them, produce them but few people buy or use that element of them. Not for me at this stage.

 

[bobmac]

Yes that is a demo of level 4, they are in quite a controlled environment (motorway) in good weather conditions.

If the demo was driving around a country lane into a city when snowing or a low winter sun on a wet road, then it could be considered much closer to level 5.

Getting to level 4 is not that far away for some geographical areas such as motorways. level 5 requires every fringe case to be programmed in with every weather variable.

But that video was from 2 1/2 years ago.
Given how fast technology is changing, do you really think level 5 is still so far away?

 

[USER1999]

Assuming all vehicles had a transponder fitted, self driving or not, then the self drive would know where and how fast any vehicles within range would be. It would not need to see them.