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Google, Ford, Volvo, Lyft and Uber Join Coalition To Further Self-Driving Cars (reuters.com)
Google, Ford, Volvo, Uber, and Lyft are forming a coalition to help speed self-driving cars to the market. Until now, these five companies have all been working on their own driverless car initiatives. According to a statement, the new effort, dubbed the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, "will work with lawmakers, regulators and the public to realize the safety and societal benefits of self-driving vehicles." David Strickland, a former top official of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is coalition's counsel and spokesman.
I think UBER without the driver could a very interesting business.
From the description (I didn't read the article since there wasn't a link), this sounds like an advocacy group to deal with legal matters and public opinion. This has nothing to do with working together to actually develop the technology. We'll likely also get some patent pool groups much like the MPEG licensing group.
Certainly the group they're forming could be expanded to include both patent pool licensing and technology development, but for now, they're just talking advocacy.
This tech could put millions out of work.
The purpose of economic activity is the production of goods and services, not "keeping people busy".
Perhaps the government could pay the unemployed drivers to throw rocks through windows to generate jobs for glaziers.
Willing to pay up in cases of death / injury?
Assuming that the auto-drive was on and there was no tampering of the system then, it should be payed out the same way as no-fault insurance (a model we should have moved to decades ago).
Who will do the jail / prison time for criminal cases of car accidents?
Again, assuming auto-drive and no tampering, there shouldn't be criminal cases. It was an accident! Exception: If shortcuts were made by the self-driving car software; such as the VW emissions-tempering case.
Willing to be open to FAA like code audits / tests?
I would certainly advocate to force this. How about you?
What about tickets both ones that go to the car (owner) and ones that go to the driver?
There should be few if any traffic tickets while in auto-drive mode as the code is supposed to be designed to follow the law (see above line item). Some police departments are actually terrified of this fact as they will no longer be able to use traffic tickets to help fund their departments.
DUI issues can you get a DUI just for being in a auto drive car in auto mode?
Probably early on as the auto-drive systems cannot be fully relied upon for safety but, this will fade in time as systems become more reliable.
Can have a drop out to manual mode just before an accident to get out of having any liability?
These systems, thus far, keep a log so the police would find out you did this and you can be cited/charged accordingly.
Can they force to have dealer only service?
There are already quite a few laws on the books saying that this is illegal. I don't see that changing.
Can they force updates on you and make you pay data overeager and roaming fees? Where an 1-2GB update can cost as much as a new car?
This is probably the messiest issue you've brought up. FCC rules on wireless and wireless charges are crap to non-existent. If I were you, this is what I'd really watch for.
"Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -