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Hacker George Hotz Unveils $999 Self-Driving Add-On (pcmag.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the off-the-shelf-electronics dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from PC Magazine: Hacker George Hotz is gearing up to launch his automotive AI start-up's first official product. In December, the 26-year-old -- known for infiltrating Apple's iPhone and Sony's PlayStation 3J -- moved on to bigger things: turning a 2016 Acura ILX into an autonomous vehicle. According to Bloomberg, Hotz outfitted the car with a laser-based radar (lidar) system, a camera, a 21.5-inch screen, a "tangle of electronics," and a joystick attached to a wooden board. Nine months later, the famed hacker this week unveiled the Comma One. As described by TechCrunch, the $999 add-on comes with a $24 monthly subscription fee for software that can pilot a car for miles without a driver touching the wheel, brake, or gas. But unlike systems currently under development by Google, Tesla, and nearly every major vehicle manufacturer, Comma.ai's "shippable" Comma One does not require users to buy a new car. "It's fully functional. It's about on par with Tesla Autopilot," Hotz said during this week's TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.

4 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Did they think of this in the hotel suite? by goombah99 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Between Eric Bachman's hype and Gilfoyle's latent satanic easter eggs I think I'll wait to see if this actually works. But it's nice to see them beating Hooli.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  2. forget about it. by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I got a '75 Monte Carlo that I've been restoring and I look forward to making it self-driving so I can send it to get me a fucking gelato, a fifth of Johnny Walker and a carton of Chesterfields.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:forget about it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Seeing has how those old ass cars have a hard time going straight with a sober driver, I don't think making it self drive would be better...unless your a drunk with the car.

  3. Re:Liability? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Does he indemnify the users in case his tech screws up and kills someone?

    No because the driver is supposed to remain alert and watching the road and so remains responsible. Besides if it was going to end up spilling lots of blood they would have called it the period, not the comma.