Forget 'Baby on board'

[Rick Potter]

I need a bumper sticker that says 'Nobody on board'.

Tesla has opened up the 'self driving' app on newer Tesla's for a free 30 day trial. It is factory installed on all of them, they just don't turn it on unless you pay, which we didn't.

All of a sudden there is an octogenarian who cannot even manage his cell phone properly letting the car drive itself. All I have to do is keep one hand on the steering wheel. I simply hit the normal cruise control lever and it stays in lane on freeways or city streets, stopping at stop signs and lights, even changing lanes when it decides to.

If I set a destination address, it takes me on and off freeways, city streets and all around the maypole. If there is a traffic blockage on major routes, it automatically reroutes me to the fastest way to get through.

It is not as smooth a ride as a mere human driver would be though. In example the lane changes, which includes turn signaling, are a bit abrupt, and sometimes come at times the driver might not choose. I suspect the driver would be looking at situations ahead, and anticipate things the computer doesn't. It almost changed lanes on me twice when a rush hour Kamikaze was coming up too fast beside me, and it caught itself halfway through my incipient lane change.

The automatic braking also reacts more aggressively than a driver normally would when a car pulls into your lane closely in front of you. It hits the brakes to give you some room ahead, while a driver would realize the car is going fast enough to do nothing and let it drive away.

Altogether it is an amazing system. Tesla has fixed it so if a driver does not keep a hand on the wheel, it will give a warning, which if ignored will cause the system to warn louder and turn off. Then the system will not be engaged until the car is stopped and restarted. I think that means you have to get out and walk away, since the car never actually stops working until you do that. There is no key, just an app.

I think they updated the system this way because so many people who bought the self driving were not paying attention while they let the car make decisions.


PS: I have always wondered what a fully autonomous car would do if I am going straight through a busy intersection, while a big truck is going fast running the light, and there is a troop of Girl Scouts on the opposite sidewalk. Will it sacrifice my car full of Nuns, or the Girl Scouts? I know the manufacturers have thought of this, and I suspect they have addressed it somehow. I also suspect it will remain a dark secret.

Live long and prosper.

[Pat Germain]

Lately, the signs I'm seeing read, "Baby Up In This Bitch". Modern vernacular, I suppose.

[Jim Koepke]

Maybe a sign saying, "Driver sleeping, this car is driving itself… poorly."

jtk

[Alan Rutherford]

I want a car you can slap on the rump and tell it to go get the groceries.

[Mike Henderson]

I'm a tech person, but I'll drive my car, thank you. Systems like Telsa's self driving work well until they encounter some situation where they don't.

Mike

[Lee Schierer]

It is not as smooth a ride as a mere human driver would be though. In example the lane changes, which includes turn signaling, are a bit abrupt, and sometimes come at times the driver might not choose. I suspect the driver would be looking at situations ahead, and anticipate things the computer doesn't. It almost changed lanes on me twice when a rush hour Kamikaze was coming up too fast beside me, and it caught itself halfway through my incipient lane change.

The automatic braking also reacts more aggressively than a driver normally would when a car pulls into your lane closely in front of you. It hits the brakes to give you some room ahead, while a driver would realize the car is going fast enough to do nothing and let it drive away.

The things you listed are among the many factors that mean that truly safe self driving cars will be a long way off. There far too many variables encountered by drivers of vehicles to be handled by programs with existing methods and technology.

[Tom M King]

I just wish my truck had a backup camera.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I just wish my truck had a backup camera.

I'll bet you could order one from Amazon.

[Tom M King]

I've had one to mount for several years, but it's not that high on the to-do list. Hard part is finding a place for the GPS whose screen would be used that it would stay in place securely. I haven't spent any time looking at mounts for years. Nice screens come with new $100,000 trucks, but this one has been paid for going on 24 years now.

[Doug Garson]

I need a bumper sticker that says 'Nobody on board'.

Tesla has opened up the 'self driving' app on newer Tesla's for a free 30 day trial. It is factory installed on all of them, they just don't turn it on unless you pay, which we didn't.

All of a sudden there is an octogenarian who cannot even manage his cell phone properly letting the car drive itself. All I have to do is keep one hand on the steering wheel. I simply hit the normal cruise control lever and it stays in lane on freeways or city streets, stopping at stop signs and lights, even changing lanes when it decides to.

If I set a destination address, it takes me on and off freeways, city streets and all around the maypole. If there is a traffic blockage on major routes, it automatically reroutes me to the fastest way to get through.

It is not as smooth a ride as a mere human driver would be though. In example the lane changes, which includes turn signaling, are a bit abrupt, and sometimes come at times the driver might not choose. I suspect the driver would be looking at situations ahead, and anticipate things the computer doesn't. It almost changed lanes on me twice when a rush hour Kamikaze was coming up too fast beside me, and it caught itself halfway through my incipient lane change.

The automatic braking also reacts more aggressively than a driver normally would when a car pulls into your lane closely in front of you. It hits the brakes to give you some room ahead, while a driver would realize the car is going fast enough to do nothing and let it drive away.

Altogether it is an amazing system. Tesla has fixed it so if a driver does not keep a hand on the wheel, it will give a warning, which if ignored will cause the system to warn louder and turn off. Then the system will not be engaged until the car is stopped and restarted. I think that means you have to get out and walk away, since the car never actually stops working until you do that. There is no key, just an app.

I think they updated the system this way because so many people who bought the self driving were not paying attention while they let the car make decisions.


PS: I have always wondered what a fully autonomous car would do if I am going straight through a busy intersection, while a big truck is going fast running the light, and there is a troop of Girl Scouts on the opposite sidewalk. Will it sacrifice my car full of Nuns, or the Girl Scouts? I know the manufacturers have thought of this, and I suspect they have addressed it somehow. I also suspect it will remain a dark secret.

Live long and prosper.

I wonder, when you are comparing how a self driving car reacts to a situation, what human driver do you use for reference? Is it the 16 year old who just got his license with great reaction time and eyesight but not much experience and sometimes questionable judgement (perhaps showing off for a girlfriend)? Or the octogenarian with failing eyesight, slow reaction time but lot's of experience and good judgement? Or the hothead who over reacts to any other driver's actions resulting in road rage incidents? Or the guy who's had a couple drinks? Or the guy who has been up for 20 hours and is struggling to keep his eyes open? Or any number of other people who don't belong on the road?
Not sure if self driving cars are at the point where they are safer than a "good" driver yet, but maybe they are already better than the some of drivers I described above. At some point, self driving cars will be safer than most human drivers and the obvious question then will be, should standards for humans getting a driver's license be increased? I recall when I got my license 50+ years ago, the hardest part was parallel parking and I don't recall any part of the test involving highway speeds or driving in poor conditions. At 75, I think I have better judgement and experience in driving in winter conditions than when I was 25 but I know my night vision and reaction times are not as good. I suspect most of us seniors probably peaked in terms of driving skill and judgement between the ages of 40 and 60.

[Jim Koepke]

In some areas groups are rebelling against autonomous cars by placing a traffic cone on the hood. This messes with the sensors and requires a reset of the vehicle's system before it can move again.

jtk

[Patty Hann]

In some areas groups are rebelling against autonomous cars by placing a traffic cone on the hood. This messes with the sensors and requires a reset of the vehicle's system before it can move again.

jtk

Can't say exactly why, but when I read your post I just laughed out loud.
Even now I still think it's funny.

Modern day Luddites, I guess. And I'm in sympathy with them too

[Malcolm McLeod]

I've had one to mount for several years, but it's not that high on the to-do list. Hard part is finding a place for the GPS whose screen would be used that it would stay in place securely. I haven't spent any time looking at mounts for years. Nice screens come with new $100,000 trucks, but this one has been paid for going on 24 years now.

If/When you’re ready, if cameras are your trump card, look at GMC. For the moment at least, they are killing it. My new one has 7 cameras, and a port on the bumper for a trailer cam, located either inside a cargo box, or on the back (to maintain 360deg view). (Mine was <$100k…much!)

ETA -
As far as a screen ‘mount’ is concerned, perhaps look at a new stereo (aka head unit, in today’s world)? Many offerings include an option for camera integration and will be as secure as the original stereo. And new stereos can be had for less than a new truck!

We return you now to your regularly scheduled OP topic.

[Tom M King]

I'm guessing yours is not a diesel dually. I haven't looked at them lately, but not too long ago they were all around a hundred grand. New stereo is a good tip. It needs one anyway. That's about the only thing that's quit working in this 24 year old one with 387,000 miles. I was hoping it would last until they came out with a plug in version. I only put a few hundred miles a year on it these days. This one has been so reliable because it was the last year they made them with no smog control stuff on it. It doesn't even have an EGR system on it.

[mike stenson]

Maybe a sign saying, "Driver sleeping, this car is driving itself… poorly."

jtk

I feel like this is the same either way in Arizona.