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Kind of a mod
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Donkey Land
Casino cash: $716899
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Driverless cars could change everything
Thought this article was cool to think about.
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-28376929 Driverless cars could change everything For now, it seems like a novelty - cars that can operate independently of human control, safely cruising down streets thanks to an array of sensors and pinpoint GPS navigation. But if the technology avoids getting crushed by government regulators and product liability lawsuits, writes the Federalist's Dan McLaughlin, it could prompt a cultural shift similar to the early 20th century move away from horses as the primary means of transportation. First and foremost, he writes, the spread of driverless cars will likely greatly reduce the number of traffic accidents - which currently cost Americans $871b (£510b) a year. "A truly driverless road would not be accident-free, given the number of accidents that would still be caused by mechanical and computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and sheer random chance," he says. "But it would make the now-routine loss of life and limb on the roads far rarer." Computer-operated cars would eventually reshape car design, he says, as things like windshields - "a large and vulnerable piece of glass" - become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they'd like in their cars, which could make car interiors more like mobile lounges than like cockpits. The age required to operate a driverless car is likely to drop, he says. There could be an impact on the legal drinking age, as well, as preventing drunk driving was one of the prime justifications for the US-wide setting minimum age to purchase alcohol at 21 years old. There's other possible economic fallout, McLaughlin contends, such as a restructuring of the auto insurance industry, the obsolescence of taxi drivers and lower ratings for drive-time radio programmes. The high-tech security state will also get boost, he writes, as GPS-tagged cars will be easier to track, making life difficult for fugitives and car thieves. Police will also be able to move resources away from operations like traffic enforcement. Of course, he writes, the towns that rely on speed traps to fund their government services will be facing budget shortfalls. Privacy advocates could also get an unexpected boost, he notes, since traffic stops are one of the main justifications for police vehicle searches. Finally, there's the prospect of the as-yet-unrealised futurist dream of flying cars. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, McLaughlin says, "the potential for three-dimensional roads becomes a lot less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge". Where we're going, we may not need roads after all. |
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#226 |
Politically Incorrect
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Casino cash: $1461110
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I did Waymo for the first time in my life two weeks ago with a client. It was weird as hell having no one drive the car but I felt 100% safe.
They even called into the car when I took my seat belt off in the back seat as it was strangling me and I couldn't adjust it. Jaguars suck! The only downside is they stay at speed limit and EVERYOME passed us by!
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"The only difference between sex for free and sex for money is that sex for free costs you a WHOLE LOT more!" ~Redd Foxx~ ![]() "The men who drafted Patrick Mahomes" ![]() |
Posts: 51,607
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#227 | |
Supporter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Scott City KS
Casino cash: $1004734
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Quote:
They're doing it different than I thought they would, apparently they're using cameras to determine collision avoidance. They have a massive amount of sensors for some of the other stuff, but I think the cameras are doing the heavy lifting for the liability protection. I don't know the mechanics of what it's doing, but that is a massive amount of computing they're doing. Obviously Deere has an army of lawyers, so they're on it, but it looks like it's happening. And as should be a shock to nobody, I appear to have been wrong. |
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Posts: 57,559
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#228 | |
Kind of a mod
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Donkey Land
Casino cash: $716899
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Quote:
However, having to wait 5-10 minutes every time you need a ride? That kind of starts to suck. Last edited by DaFace; 02-05-2024 at 10:49 AM.. |
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Posts: 52,216
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#229 | |
Emporer of Mongo
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Milky Way
Casino cash: $1777556
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Quote:
Im talking about total costs. The models that I have seen are something like this: You join a club/group and pay a monthly fee to be able to use 1, 2 or 3 different kinds of vehicles. (A pickup, a sedan, a minivan for example, so multiply the total costs!). You get so many hours over a month, and if you go over you can pay extra. But the savings will be there. No insurance, No maintenance, No fuel costs etc. Paying for part of a car in a group will absolutely be cheaper than paying for a whole car that sits around most of the time. Plus you will have more options for different types of vehicles. I dont think people will pay MORE for the "convienience" of not having a car right at their house (so I agree with you on that) .. But you bet your ass people will join clubs where you pay LESS for having access to more kinds of cars and no insurance/gas/oil changes/ repairs ! (and be willing to wait 10 min) Also, obviously not EVERYONE will do this. Guys like me who need a truck for work, probably will have a work truck at home. Or people who drive more than allowed by group ownership etc, or maybe as a luxury or status symbol.
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Posts: 44,581
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#230 |
Politically Incorrect
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Casino cash: $1461110
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Waymo was cheaper than Lyft and Uber by about 25%
__________________
"The only difference between sex for free and sex for money is that sex for free costs you a WHOLE LOT more!" ~Redd Foxx~ ![]() "The men who drafted Patrick Mahomes" ![]() |
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#231 | |
Rufus Dawes Jr.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Casino cash: $418179
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Quote:
I'm a tight ass when it comes to cars. I'd love to have a nice vehicle in the garage but I just can't justify the expense. My two cars are both over ten years old one both over 100k miles, one is over 210k. Have not had a car payment for 8 years now. The ONLY time I wish I had something different is when we are going on a trip of some sort. A subscription service would be great for that. Still think I'd want to have something sitting in the garage, but maybe that plus a subscription would be great. |
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Posts: 17,491
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#232 |
Veteran
Join Date: Nov 2012
Casino cash: $6856512
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Too late for Pat Senior?
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Posts: 1,723
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#233 |
Supporter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Scott City KS
Casino cash: $1004734
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Woof. I didn't realize it was this bad. I haven't taken the time to see the legitimacy of what he's saying, but it's bad.
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Posts: 57,559
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#234 |
Live free or die hard
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Durango, CO
Casino cash: $1528382
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