CNET On Cars - Smarter Driver: Will self-driving cars ever be legal?

Brian Cooley explains the challenges associated with making autonomous cars legal.

[VaderYouSeekVader]

Either I missed CNET on Cars this past Friday or there wasn't one?

[MrLaeddis]

Traffic is a REAL problem in the U.S. The human population has grown more in the last 100 years than any 100 year period before it, EVER. Self driving cars wouldn't fix traffic, at least not anytime soon, sure, but it would allow me an extra 2-3 hours of my day, which makes a huge difference.

[TheDroidekas]

I would never allow a machine to replace what I like to do. This advancement would be a good one if people who want to go to point A ==> B without babysitting a steering wheel and for those whom a car is much more than that

[Diamondusa]

The question is will driving cars soon be illegal?

[InternetReviewerGuy]

It won't just be legal, it will be mandatory.

Most people cannot or do not drive properly and safely, computer programs will be a vast improvement.

[Alanitoo]

We're not ready for self-driving cars yet

Omg! This will be awesome when they are actually realised to the public I am going to buy one when I can! This was on Top Gear too

[givesyouthechills]

Who gives a shit if it's legal, Tesla Motors sure doesn't. Their autonomous software will be wirelessly added to all Model S and Model X that have the hardware installed this summer.

[MegaJohn]

i just got into an accident, my car drives itself it wasn't my fault it was the company i bought the car from so i pay nothing. lol

[rkost_]

Same question about some years ago: Will we ever build a 32 Bit Windows-Version? Of cause they will -.-

[bryanerf]

United by name but separated by such a dilemma

[Razor]

If we get a completely self driving system going, or enough self driving to make many major roads (if which an alternative exist), to be self driving only. This will boost the economy as time is money and traffic issues are caused by stupid people on the road.

If you ever have the chance to go into a tall building overlooking a major road, look at what happens at the beginning of rush hour. There is more than just more cars on the road. You will see certain patters for example, a 55MPH road but a slow mass of moving cars probably going around 20MPH, and in front of that mass, is clear unobstructed road. The greater number of cars increases the likelihood of there being a stupid slow driver in each lane, and thus you see a contrast point that marks the start of rush hour traffic.

Everyone behind the slow drivers get frustrated at the speed of the slow drivers, and you get issues such as rubbernecking (of which that ripple effect leads to traffic standstills further back in the road).

The government does not have any useful method of spotting those drivers, and then forcing them to compensate everyone who they have caused trouble for. If they really wanted to stop these traffic issues, they would get a drone or something to monitor the traffic, then when they spot the contrast point of slow moving cars, it records for evidence, and then quickly counts every car behind then slow driver, then pull up their government tax records in order to determine their income, job, and work hours. After that, monitor the traffic slowdown below the speed limit, then calculate the difference in order to figure out the delay, then fine the slow driver for each persons time behind them, and send those funds to the drivers stuck in the traffic.

This will be a win-win for everyone, a drivers will be less frustrated, as it will mean they got their hourly wage for sitting in traffic. The slow driver will be discouraged from being an asshole in the future when they see their their actions have consequences. and the government gets additional tax revenue from the fine

If you take out the human element, then regardless of the time of day, you will be able to travel at the speed limit of the road.

Furthermore, self driving only can also mean cars going far more quickly (e.g., the 55MPH road can become a 120MPH road.

Overall, traffic accidents kill many people, and it costs the country trillions of dollars a year in lost productivity and wasted resources. You get rid of the idiots on the road, and people are able to get where they need to go faster, and be productive, while simultaneously wasting fewer resources, and thus more funds are available to be spent by the people on things that will make use of the increased productivity, as well as things that will serve to increase the overall wealth of the country.

[UhhhhhnooOOooO]

Liability should be 100% the driver unless the systems screw up. I don't trust humans to walk correctly...let alone drive...but the SECOND a self driving car screws up...it's over! humans screw up on the road every year...drive drunk..error or other and nothing..but the second even one self driving system fails...even if it causes less accidents a year...Good Luck! Never self dining planes or Flying cars..that won't ever be approved. I've been saying all this for 20 years!

[shweet]

Only if I get to completely control it and get to drive it can't choose for me, nevermind all the data mining operations via military science technology