Self-Driving Cars: The Road Ahead - KQED QUEST

Self-driving cars are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Google, Tesla, Audi and other companies are taking dozens of prototype vehicles onto the road in California and other states. But before they can take off with consumers, big hurdles need to be overcome.

[st_kls]

Can't wait for self-driving cars.

[gilbertoseixas]

Nobody is talking that they can be hacked. I just trust myself.

[davidallyn]

I disagree with the gentleman from UC Berkley who said it will be decades before we see this. I agree with the Audi engineer who says at the end "I want [Auto-driving cars] NOW".

I believe the "complicated" nature of driving is less "complication" and more "reaction impedance" (if you will). That is, driving can seem complicated, because we are always battling the human reaction time of about 1/3 of a second. The computer "sees" the event just milliseconds after it occurs and has more time to work out a plan of avoidance.

Another example is computers' usage in current fighter jets. A human could never fly a modern fighter jet without a computer, because we simply don't have the reaction time necessary to "stay in the envelope" - it would just spin out of control. What actually happens is the pilot suggests a flight path, a roll, a maneuver, and the computer makes many small, micro adjustments to make that happen. (And of course, there is actual auto pilot for long, boring stretches)

Driving a car is - and will be - no different.

[certifymexs]

No need for a Driver's License now. Kiss road test goodbye

[beatersho]

nobody actually wants a self driving car. there's almost no consumer demand for them

[saritabohannon]

My only concern with self driving cars is how long it would take to charge (I'm gonna assume autonomous cars would be all electric) what with all the equipment that they'd come with.

[diggerdanielg]

Lots of luck... I have a 1997 Dodge Caravan and my instrument cluster refuses to work. For a while I could bang on the dash, but now (after I broke the needle off my gas gauge) the gauges work only when they want to. If we are building cars that the gauges will not keep working, how are we going to have cars that drive alone?

[CMDRScotty]

I agree with the guy from Berkeley. I fell like this a billion dollar distraction from the real automation in farming, manufacturing, warehousing, and retail.

1. Warehouse:
Amazon needs 20, 000 fewer workers then last year. Thanks to automation they think UPS, USPS, and FedEx will follow suit next year and we could we see almost 100 thousand jobs cut from warehousing and distribution next year.

2. manufacturing:
Dark factories getting thier name from the fact that are so automated they don't even need to leave the lights on. China is automating faster than the USA seeing reduction in labor to run a factory by 90% America and Europe will likely follow suit to stay competitive. Even steel manufacturers only need need 14 employees to make over 500, 000 tons of steel a year.

3. Farming:
Robots that pick strawberries, apples, plant, weed, spray, and harvest lettuce. Milk machines so cows can milk themselves. Vertical farming has finally become profitable. They think that by 2020 farm worker will make up 1% or less by 2020.

4. Retail:
Amazon's GO store, self self check out for retail and fast food, robots that clean the floor's, pizza making machines, burger flippers.

Time scale for these technologies:
This technology is here now not some theoretical future. We do a lot of jobs that are not going to be around in ten years. Just like the telephone/elevator operator's, projectionist, and typeset these are the real jobs on the chopping block for the next ten years not taxi, truck, and Uber drivers.

Outcome:
It's the customer base of the driving industry that will disappear long before they do.

[Ulizos-un]

I wonder if these cars will ever work outside of the U.S. Imagine one of these cars in the future in the chaotic streets of Mexico City or old European cities with extremely narrow streets, lots of pedestrians, bikes, motorbikes, etc. It seems to make sense in the U.S. where most (all?) cities are planned with perfect, square grids, and where streets are perfectly paved and painted.

[ahkeem]

Very informative but I am against this whole process

[myoung]

So how will people survive when their car automatically drives the speed limit and stops for red lights and stop signs. Makes the concept a non starter.

[Dingby]

who would buy a car that can only drive its self only in certain situations ? don't waist your time doing half the job. we want fully automated vehicles.

[shikaHUT]

i found this idea pointless ! if we allow or to let the vehicle to control drive or self drive still we face the same problems
which is traffic ! So i do value this advance Technic with all there new sensor system and more electronic . but as a London driver i am looking forward for uk government to sign the legislation and allow the engineer to design a vehicles to fly
on the sky which i believe its more safer.

[luecu]

if you want it right now, buy a Tesla then :P

[adelaluz]

thry are . going . to . help . a . generation . of . senior citizens by . giving . them . independence also kids moving them from . home . to school and Back afternoon classes

[joearredondo]

Meh..I'll stick with my 54 Olds...