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Will Robot Cars Need Windows?
An anonymous reader writes: The Atlantic has an article asking whether autonomous cars need windows. If there's no driver, will the passengers want to look outside? In the summer, will anyone want to endure the relentless heat from the sun? The robot cars offer us a great opportunity to rethink the platform which is largely devoted to supporting the driver. But if a computer is in charge and it sees with dozens of cameras ringing the car, what else can we change? What else don't we need? What can improve?
People who get car sick need windows. Nuff said.
The passengers in a plane do not need windows but clearly because planes have windows at considerable cost to design properly (remember the Dehavilland Comet?) there's clearly a want for them to be there.
Passengers in cars will want the option of looking out. One can even argue that scenic drives with an autonomous car would be much safer because there's no driver to split his attention between the view and the act of operating the vehicle.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
There are plenty of reasons (beyond merely operating the vehicle) to need windows:
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
Technically, the driver of a car never uses the windows in the door of the back seats.
I really don't want to be on the same road as you when you change lanes on the non-driving side...
...when we are not ready to mitigate every single scenario in which a human driver would need to take over and drive in an emergency?
I mean seriously, we're not even close to answering that. Therefore, humans will still need things like windows and mirrors.
Airliners only need one set of windows at the front, for the pilots. But there's a row of windows on either side, and the seats next to those windows are the second-most-popular (after those on the aisle) despite the fact that they're the most difficult to get in and out of, have no access to the overhead bins, and offer less head/foot room. See also: trains, buses, passenger ferries. So I think the answer is yes: robot cars will still have windows.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
I like the seats on the cross-country trains (VIA up here in Canada). They have pairs of seats that can swivel, to make them face another pair of seats. A fold out table creates a nice surface for a nice game of cards, or whatever you fancy. You could even have meetings while driving to a destination. So many possibilities when you don't have to stare at the back of someone's head!
AirSpeak - http://itunes.com/apps/AirSpeak
The Atlantic has an article asking whether autonomous cars need windows....
There are windows on space capsules.
There are windows on railroad passenger cars.
There are windows in houses.
.
My guess is that people, in general, like to look outside.
So is not going anywhere at all. Bet you don't let your kid make an airfoil with their hand on the hiway either. Curmudgeon.
Your dog is deprived of a simple pleasure. Hooray for you.
My dog arrives safely at his destination and won't become a 50lb projectile that could kill both of us in an accident. He also won't get any debris in his eyes that I'll have to have a vet remove later. My dog has plenty of joy in his life and I promise you will not know he missed anything by keeping his head inside the window.
It is safest practice for all concerned.
Never take your dog out. That's safest of all! Just lock it in a cage and it won't ever come to harm, although it will probably die of desperation.
Seriously while I don't agree with the labrador bouncing around in the back of the pickup truck, and while I do realize that the airbag can easily kill my 5lb poodle if it deploys, I don't spend my entire life worrying about every possible little thing that can go wrong. She's in my wife's lap with her leash on, and she loves to smell outside the window. I'd rather let her enjoy the ride with a small chance of serious injury if the worst should happen, than make sure she was miserable every trip getting car sick in a "safe" crate somewhere in the back of my car.
Life has risks. It's up to everyone to figure out the trade off they are willing to accept for themselves.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.