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UK To Allow Driverless Cars By January

Posted by Soulskill on from the crucial-to-development-of-the-tardis dept.

rtoz sends this news from the BBC: The UK government has announced that driverless cars will be allowed on public roads starting in January next year. It also invited cities to compete to host one of three trials of the tech, which would start at the same time. In addition, ministers ordered a review of the UK's road regulations to provide appropriate guidelines. ... The debate now is whether to allow cars, like the prototype unveiled by Google in May, to abandon controls including a steering wheel and pedals and rely on the vehicle's computer. Or whether, instead, to allow the machine to drive, but insist a passenger be ready to wrest back control at a moment's notice.

6 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. good they have NHS so one some gets hurt by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    good they have NHS so one some gets hurt they not left with big bills while the courts are working out who is at fail and who will pay the bills.

  2. Figures it would not be the US by Enigma2175 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Obviously the US will not have this for some time ("Oh my god, somebody might sue!"), it's nice to see at least some countries see the advantage of cars that can drive themselves better than humans can drive them, even if the self-driving cars are not perfect. I would expect initially they would require a licensed driver behind the wheel, at least until the technology has proven itself.

    --

    Enigma

  3. A Progression of Complaints by X!0mbarg · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Once they start to roll, there will be a logical progression of complaints, starting with "They're too slow."
    Next will be "They're blocking traffic flow/causing traffic jams."
    Possibly among the next bunch of complaints:
    "They move erratically/unpredictably"
    "They wait too long at/stop too soon for traffic lights"

    Most of the complaints will revolve around the simple fact that the autonomous cars will be driving 100% according to the rules of the road, and 95+% of the remaining drivers don't. Things like stopping for yellow lights, driving at the actual speed limit, slowing for merging traffic, properly signalling turns and lane-changes, etc.

    In the end, the autonomous cars will reduce traffic jams, as they can intelligently travel in clusters, all in communication with each other, and even vary their routes for volume, all while staying moving at a reasonable clip.

    The problem will come in when people deliberately try to mess with them, forcing them into emergency maneuvers by cutting them off for exits (for example), or cutting in front and slamming on the breaks (road rage).

    Here's hoping they are outfitted with outward-facing cameras for recording such acts of stupidity.

    1. Re:A Progression of Complaints by kheldan · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I, for one, will NEVER ride in or own a vehicle that does not have a steering wheel, foot-actuated throttle pedal, foot-actuated brake pedal, foot-actuated clutch pedal (where applicable), gear selector lever, etc. and I know I'm not alone in this. I don't care HOW foolproof they make them. I will NEVER put my life in the hands of some programmer or team of programmers, not even if they're riding in the car with me. I'd sooner go back to riding a motorcycle 100% of the time, all year 'round, and by the way the only way you're getting my motorcycles away from me is when you pry them from my cold, dead hands.

      Some of you talk like this is some new form of freedom you're going to live to see, but I and many like me see it as the complete opposite: It's a freedom being taken AWAY from us, and none of you, in your mad rush towards your alleged vehicular utopia, ever talk about the new problems this is going to create: at the top of my list are hackers, and police. What's going to stop someone from hacking your driverless, manual control-less car while you're in it, and sending it to who-knows-where, maybe into a concrete abutment at high speed, overriding all the so-called 'safeties' built into it? Or just highjacking it to an undisclosed location, essentially kidnapping you, or greeted by someone with a gun, who shoots you, and takes the car? What about police abuse of what will most certainly be a built-in 'safety override' they can enable at will, causing your car to pull over immediately, regardless of the reason why? Or something too many of you don't seem to care about: having your every move tracked, which will just be that much easier for corporations and governments to do when the car is completely automated? Nope, no thank you, I've said it before, I'll keep saying it, you can keep your autonomous/driverless/control-less cars, thank you very much. And by the way I work in a high-tech industry, have my entire adult life, and I do not shun technology or even change, just things that I view a stupid and reckless, and things that ultimately will infringe upon my personal freedom. Anyone who doesn't like my opinion can save their breath, I'm not hearing your arguments, complaints, or insults.

      --
      Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
    2. Re:A Progression of Complaints by hawkinspeter · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I don't see why driving within the speed limits would cause any major problems as on most motorways, they'd be spending most of their time in the left-most (slowest) lane. The other lanes are for overtaking and they shouldn't need to do much overtaking. If they do need to overtake, then I imagine it would make sense to exceed the speed limit just whilst they are overtaking so that they safely join the faster flow.

      Some vehicles (coaches and buses generally) are speed limited and can't go above 70mph and they don't cause more crashes as far as I know. I reckon that people will soon get used to the conservative behaviour of driverless cars. It's got to be a lot less annoying than some of the hyper-aggressive or distracted drivers.

      --
      You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
    3. Re:A Progression of Complaints by xaxa · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I, for one, will NEVER ride in or own a vehicle that does not have a steering wheel, foot-actuated throttle pedal, foot-actuated brake pedal, foot-actuated clutch pedal (where applicable), gear selector lever, etc. and I know I'm not alone in this. I don't care HOW foolproof they make them. I will NEVER put my life in the hands of some programmer or team of programmers, not even if they're riding in the car with me.

      Have you ever used a train, including a metro train? A good many are electronically controlled (rather than levers etc), and -- especially on metro systems -- many have no more input from a driver than a "ready to proceed" button. Some don't even need the driver to press the button -- usually when there's not a union in the way. Signalling systems have been electronic for ages.

      (Yes, cars are a lot more complicated -- but automatic trains have been running since the 1980s.)