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Old 10-05-2015, 07:10 PM
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Autonomous Vehicles = Madness?

Suppose autonomous vehicles are commercially successful. People are free to be more productive while they are stuck in traffic. They can watch movies, refine business proposals for more machines. etc. etc.

How big would a traffic jam have to get before passengers realized that they hate sitting in their robot cars and would rather walk to a theater with their traffic mates?

I just realized that we don't have a word for traffic mates. Maybe we need one, because that is where we are headed.
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Old 10-05-2015, 07:19 PM
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Pedestrians?

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Old 10-05-2015, 07:30 PM
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Pedestrians?

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Concern for?

Technology can protect pedestrians.

That introduces an interesting question. If autonomous vehicles were perfectly safe to everyone, would people rather walk or be shuttled?

I prefer walking.

Voted.
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Old 10-05-2015, 08:08 PM
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I like the idea. I have crummy knees.
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Old 10-05-2015, 08:31 PM
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We have autonomous vehicles around here. Google is developing the software and operating them on public roads as part of their testing. I like the idea but I wouldn't want to be forced into not driving myself.
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Old 10-05-2015, 09:07 PM
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Most of the cars I see on the road these days appear to be operating without a driver.
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Old 10-05-2015, 09:08 PM
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We have autonomous vehicles around here. Google is developing the software and operating them on public roads as part of their testing. I like the idea but I wouldn't want to be forced into not driving myself.
What emotions are at play? Can you think forward to being in an autonomous car and wondering how you got there? What anger, if any, would be yell-worthy?

I can imagine wanting a driver to talk to. And tip.
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Old 10-05-2015, 09:35 PM
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What emotions are at play? Can you think forward to being in an autonomous car and wondering how you got there? What anger, if any, would be yell-worthy?

I can imagine wanting a driver to talk to. And tip.
There's that but it's more a sense that there would be "nobody in control", particularly not me. I pride myself on being a significantly above average driver, having been a military chauffeur, a racing driver, a highway safety instructor and also an instructor in terrorism countermeasures for government and industry bigwigs and their chauffeurs.

As you might expect, I take driving very seriously. I'll always trust myself more than I will a collection of ones and zeros.
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Old 10-05-2015, 09:44 PM
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What emotions are at play? Can you think forward to being in an autonomous car and wondering how you got there? What anger, if any, would be yell-worthy?

I can imagine wanting a driver to talk to. And tip.
Initial emotion would be fear of the unknown - will the car crash without me being able to prevent it?

Once/if autonomous cars become common with a good safety record, my question would be: "why do I have this autonomous car? I could have taken the train."

The autonomous car would provide privacy and more room for your own stuff than mass transit, but would eliminate the joy of driving (human control). Unfortunately that would prob. be the safest route, given human road rage and accident statistics.
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Old 10-05-2015, 09:46 PM
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Pedestrians?

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Designation for fellow walking traffic mates.

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