GM Claims Advanced Cruise Control By 2008

pavelvp writes "Economist is reporting that General Motors is working on the prototype of the self-driving car. From the article, "The car uses updated technology combined with several existing innovations and, according to the manufacturer, could be in production by 2008. But, while the technology takes some of the boring bits out of driving, it falls far short of an automatic taxi service and, anyway, various legal, technical and social barriers to its introduction remain.""

Comments

Priorities

[morcheeba]

As long as the system can distinguish what is running into the street ahead of you if you're boxed in and the vehicle behind you is tailgating (or its driver isn't paying attention). If it's a dog, the the answer is to hit it instead of risking getting run over yourself. If it's a kid, then slam on the brakes and get rear ended.(*)

Also, the price target of $1,830 seems a little optimistic. That's close to the cost of a nav system, but will require more components.

(* Alternate answer: deploy the tire spikes and drag chain to force the car behind to stop)

In southern california cruise control is worthless

[krelyk]

There is too much traffic to bother with cruise control... ok, yeah, if it's driving for me, that's nice... but the car needs to automatically report illegal aliens that drive the speed limit in fear of being deported... also their hooptie's break down every other mile. I don't think we need more freeway lanes, we just need less illegal aliens causing traffic. Maybe we should implement a 'Freeway License' that would require you to own a valid Drivers License and pass a freeway driving test before being able to drive on the 405... Oh, and make rush hour construction illegal - Los Angeles did it, finally!

Re:Good job catching up GM

[Anonymous Coward]

ABS, Stability control, Airbags, etc are all Mercedes innovations which they allow other car companies to use

Mercedes didn't invent any of those things.