Nevada Approves Rules For Self-Driving Cars

Griller_GT writes with news that Nevada has become the first U.S. state to approve regulations for allowing self-driving cars on its roads. "Autonomous test vehicles will display a red license plate, Nevada officials said. If and when the technology is approved for public use, the cars will carry a green license plate. ... Nevada said it worked with Google, automobile manufacturers, testing professionals, insurance companies, universities and law enforcement to develop the regulations. Other states also have similar bills that will be voted upon to determine if they, too, can follow suit."

Comments

How well do they handle dangerous situations?

[Assmasher]

I've seen lots of video of them under ideal scenarios.

Let's get some crash video! :)

Hydroplaning, black ice, big potholes, road debris, silver-hairs stomping on the brakes, et cetera.

Should be entertaining, if disconcerting, to say the least.

Re:How well do they handle dangerous situations?

[petteyg359]

Here's an ideal scenario: Get all the manual idiots off the road, so the smart cars don't have to deal with them :)

One could, and one would be wrong

[Kupfernigk]

I'd like you to explain to me the relevance of being able to fiddle with a dangerous piece of machinery (try engaging reverse at 70) while driving, to competence in things like anticipation of traffic ahead, interpreting other driver behavior, observing road signs and the like. The manual transmission is simply an artefact of the invention of the car having preceded the invention of a good way to get the power to the road. There is simply no reason to believe that the ability to use it correlates to the ability to drive.

And before you start - long history of manual motorbikes and cars ranging from Triumph T100 to BMW, also long experience of automatics ranging from Kia to Merc, and now a Prius. I have also driven extensively in the US and Europe, on both sides of the road. My conclusion? For a given skill level, the auto is always safer because your attention is never distracted at a crucial moment. When you brake, you brake; no remembering the "clutch" or to "change down".

The ability of an architect isn't measured in terms of her/his ability to bake bricks.

Re:Hopefully the first of many

[mlts]

I can't think of any disadvantages of driverless vehicles once the kinks are worked out. In fact, on the highway, with a grid system, cars can be packed far closer together because there isn't need to have the space needed for human reaction time. Coupled with a local/regional highway computer, vehicles can be shifted from lane to lane depending on their destination and mechanical ability.

Heck, even roads could be designed differently because roads wouldn't have to deal with drivers behind the wheel who have 2-3 too many bowls, and 4-6 too many Bud Lights. Four way intersections on expressways could be made because the local computer could time when to send a northbound car so it doesn't hit an eastbound car that is currently in the intersection, or slow down a southbound car so it hits the intersection right after two cars going on a cross street pass.

Of course, nothing is perfect, but there was a time when computers were thought of never being the king of the chessboard, and now are top dog. Self driving cars were laughed off previously, but as connectivity and technology matures, it might be the answer to US transportation issues, especially in sprawling regions where a bus/train/tram system would be impossible.

This also would provide ease of renting/reserving cars. If someone didn't want to own one, they could have one reserved to be sitting in front of their place when they needed to go to work.