Do ( would) you trust a self driving car?

[Rockdiamond]

It is kind of interesting how even things like cars seem polarizing today.
Electric cars...good or bad?????...
I've been an electric car devotee since we got a Tesla in 2020.
The car had full self driving.

Now, "full" is really a misnomer in the case of Tesla.
It's purported to be able to do turn by turn, straight to your destination...but that isn't workable yet. (..but I think there's already driverless cabs in CA, I guess that's another story)
I would not feel comfortable letting the car make a left turn on a two lane highway.
But- my experience is that in many circumstances, the self driving capabilities are much better than humans' capabilities.
Stop and go traffic is a big one. It's easy to get lulled into a stupor. Same for long boring interstate drives.

When the car is driving, you can just sit back, and sip on your coffee. Or just look around and enjoy the scenery while making sure to gaze back at the road periodically.
Going through the tunnels in NYC- they have very narrow lanes- with nasty plastic thingies sticking up between the lanes.
I can drive it- but the car does it perfectly and it's stress free.
On long interstate drives, it's also a godsend. I'm sure 18 wheel trucks must already have some of this technology.

Anyway, I've found that many people are incredulous....you let the car drive????? I'd never do that!!!!
I have a good friend whose life involves two hours a day on the Long Island Distressway...he will not consider self drving cars...
PS- like it or not, there are already a lot of them out there too...

What do you think???

(PS- got rid of that nasty ol' Tesla and got a real car.....BMW iX all electric)

 

[Rfisher]

No.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I could not give up control of driving the car. It would cause me too much anxiety - I can’t even use cruise control! Lol!

 

[Tartansparkles]

I vote yes. My understanding is that the latest self driving cars are fully capable of dealing with the road and each other - what they cannot account for is the unpredictably of other human drivers. So if it was possible to replace every car on the road with a self-driving car and all at the same time, this would be the safest scenario. I know that is unrealistic but the quality of driving is so poor these days that I cannot wait for self-driving cars to take over.

 

[pearlsngems]

Not yet, but maybe someday.

 

[Bianca201]

I vote yes, because it certainly can't be worse than the people driving while under the influence, people texting, people who are exhausted, people just plain distracted. If all those accidents/injuries/fatalities were added up, incidents as a result of people not following the basic requirements to be a driver, it makes the self-driving seem much safer.

 

[kenny]

Not yet, but I know that IS the future.
Hopefully after I die.

I'm sure they are already much safer than texting human drivers ... but here we are!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

One more life skill to give up to old age? No thanks.
MrCarParts harrasses texting/on the phone drivers by weaving back and forth in both their mirrors., sometimes followed by a cheeky overtake.

 

[Rockdiamond]

As a total advocate...I can also see the limitations.
There needs to be clear lane markings on the roads you're driving on.
In cases of rain, at this point, the car sees them better than my 68 year old eyes.
When it's snow, all bets are off as far as self driving.
Anytime other cars, or pedestrians, or bikes are around you need to be prepared to take immediate action.
But picture a drive from NYC to Vermont. You've got miles and miles of uncrowded interstate- or even two lane roads. The car handles them perfectly.
Of course, you're watching what's going on, but it's a different sort of attention...hard to explain, but you're more relaxed.
So when you sense or see something that needs attention, you're far more alert at that moment than if you'd been lulled into 30 minutes of Thruway mind numbness.
Same with stop and go traffic. It literally doesn't even bother me most times.
Ok, not most times, but sometimes traffic isn't even a bother when the car is driving.

ETA as someone who used to love to drive in Manhattan, wow, it's gotten intolerable. Don't get me started, and kids, get off my lawn.....

 

[Karl_K]

yes someday but not now.
I dont drive anymore and it could be an upgrade over some peoples driving I get rides with.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Tesla, and BMW self-drive features lane change.
When you're in autodrive, you tap the turn signal in the direction you want to lane change to, and the car waits till it's safe before executing the change.
It works remarkably well. I'm looking in my mirrors to check, but the car is hyper sensitive.
It will only make the change if the coast is really clear.
I understand that on the 2025 models, you won't even need to touch the directional stalk- just make a slight eye/head gesture.

 

[Rockdiamond]

yes someday but not now.
I dont drive anymore and it could be an upgrade over some peoples driving I get rides with.

I was thinking I might have phrased the question differently........ like- would you feel comfortable if an Uber Driver used auto-drive?
I know that there've been uncomfortable Uber/Lyft rides where I have to ask the driver to slow down and or stop weaving in and out of lanes... definitely prefer auto drive in that case....

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

Nope, I have issues trusting humans as it is, in my opinion I don’t believe math and calculations can predict another humans reaction on the road.
So much room for error and mistakes to be made. Not taking into account weather! Nope, I would rather walk or take other public transportation if there wasn’t another way.

 

[yssie]

Short answer: No.

Long answer: F*** no.

AI is only as beneficial as the people who have access to manipulate it...

 

[Rockdiamond]

Keep in mind that any modern car knows where it’s been, how it got there, how fast it got there…… no secrets anymore. Autodrive or no
The Tesla did have a cool feature that gave a little ding when a red light turned green as you were waiting.

 

[LilAlex]

No. Barely works for ships and planes with nothing in the way.

Also: I like the i4 but won't get one.

Favorite quote: That a$$hole Tesla driver won't let you merge...but his autobrake will!

 

[ShinyPink]

No, thank you. I've seen the self-driving taxis in LA. They're very distracting at first because they all sorts of gadgets attached.
I'm still waiting for the flying cars that were supposed to be here in 2000-ish.

 

[missy]

Depends. If the technology improves I would be open to it but at this time nope. For now I want to be responsible for my and other's safety and not let a machine be responsible. But time will tell I am keeping an open mind if the technology improves

 

[missy]

No, thank you. I've seen the self-driving taxis in LA. They're very distracting at first because they all sorts of gadgets attached.
I'm still waiting for the flying cars that were supposed to be here in 2000-ish.

Now flying cars I am excited about. Anyone here old enough to remember Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

Chitty chitty bang bang we love you!!!

Catchy tune I dare you not to sing along

 

[dk168]

Not yet, as I believe the technology is not sufficiently robust to be able to replace human interactions at present.

Having said that, I am happy to use Skytrain in Vancouver which are driverless with much less risk of objects falling in front of the train or side impacts, etc. etc..

I suspect I would trust other driverless vehicles sometime in the future.

DK

 

[Rockdiamond]

I’m curious what sort of improvements would make people trust auto drive for interstate and highway driving .
I’d bet if we could compare accidents per miles driven, humans will have far more incidents /accidents right now.
Or if they actually tried using it.

No, thank you. I've seen the self-driving taxis in LA. They're very distracting at first because they all sorts of gadgets attached.

Yeah, no for me on auto drive in the city, or driverless vehicles too …. But the fact that they’re already working means I must be a Luddite on this….

 

[yssie]

Now flying cars I am excited about. Anyone here old enough to remember Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

Chitty chitty bang bang we love you!!!

Catchy tune I dare you not to sing along

Missy!! One of my top three childhood faves

 

[Bianca201]

I’d bet if we could compare accidents per miles driven, humans will have far more incidents /accidents right now.

This. This right here.

In the Seattle area this last Sunday there were at least three accidents caused by people under the influence. With a fatality. https://www.king5.com/article/news/...nday/281-e919b606-65e0-4bba-ba0d-e079c14b3175

A couple weekends ago we had six separate incidents where people accidently hit police vehicles. https://www.khq.com/news/washington...cle_b64f118c-aceb-11ef-9103-a7fff542c891.html

We can do better - but we won't. People aren't motived like that.

I am 100% on board with self driving cars - watching other cars driving through traffic, many many many are multitasking with their phones already. It's super scary.

 

[Rockdiamond]

This. This right here.

Four people killed by cars in NYC this past weekend too......not that auto-drive is ready for Manhattan driving but the point is the machine is better at some things than the human

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Mmmmh, NOPE. Get back to me in a decade. I will cautiously observe, presently.

 

[peachster]

We drove 1000 miles round trip with full self driving. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay attention, but it did work surprisingly well, and was a great assist for a long drive, including highways, local roads, and even handling of traffic properly. The days of being asleep while your car works autonomously are not yet here, but it’s a pretty good solution in the interim. In Phoenix (and I think San Fran), there are Waymo taxis, no driver at all. So there is something to the technology.

 

[autumngems]

No way, I don't even use my cruise control as I do not feel I am in control.

 

[Austina]

Yes. I can see how, WHEN the technology is foolproof, it would be a major step in allowing older people to remain independent.

My car already has lots of safety features, like anti collision, adaptive cruise control, intuitive park assist with auto breaking etc., which I keep switched on.

 

[yssie]

This. This right here.

In the Seattle area this last Sunday there were at least three accidents caused by people under the influence. With a fatality. https://www.king5.com/article/news/...nday/281-e919b606-65e0-4bba-ba0d-e079c14b3175

A couple weekends ago we had six separate incidents where people accidently hit police vehicles. https://www.khq.com/news/washington...cle_b64f118c-aceb-11ef-9103-a7fff542c891.html

We can do better - but we won't. People aren't motived like that.

I am 100% on board with self driving cars - watching other cars driving through traffic, many many many are multitasking with their phones already. It's super scary.

This makes me go the other way - what can we do to force people to pay attention to the road? I had a rental where if you took your hands off the wheel for more than a few seconds all entertainment turned off (I found this fascinating and moseyed down an empty parking lot at 15mph a fair few times to experience this hands-free silence )

But - why not extend that? Take your eyes off the road for more than X seconds whilst the car is moving, entertainment turns off and alarm blares at you. Make it impossible to NOT look at the d*mn road in front of you. I'd trust that automation far more than the car trying to drive itself.

 

[Rockdiamond]

I can see how, WHEN the technology is foolproof

Nothing is foolproof.....the USA is the best evidence of that you can find......AAANYWAY
The technology is already "fool-resistant" enough that auto drive on highways is better than the average human.
The "nanny" systems are effective.
If I don't pay attention to my iX, it will pull the car over and call 911 after the third or fourth warning.
I did have one incident in the Tesla where it decided to pull over for no reason.
The system in the BMW is so far superior to Tesla's.
BUt even the Tesla system is better than most humans