Driverless taxis. Is it too soon?

[dexpunt]

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Just watched this and whilst its been coming for a while and looks ok, I'm not sure I would be ready to trust it. I can think of some things that could go wrong. Specially in cases of accidents etc

[george r]

not for me 

[Marmalade]

Theoretically they should be safer than regular cars. Not everyone’s convinced. And America is testing driverless lorries as well (though apparently only on the big highways).

I’d try one for the sake of it next time I was in SF — whereas on our little hub of an island it seems we can’t even legalise e-scooters without knocking some old lady over. 

Probably an idiot Extinction Rebeller would throw itself in front of one to say it discriminates against drivers. Do they have an override to run over the brainless bipeds??

Everything in America drives at the same speed anyway. Must be easier to program. Not like Germany where things seem to overtake faster than you can say where’s my wing mirror.

[dexpunt]

Theoretically they should be safer than regular cars. Not everyone’s convinced. And America is testing driverless lorries as well (though apparently only on the big highways).

I’d try one for the sake of it next time I was in SF — whereas on our little hub of an island it seems we can’t even legalise e-scooters without knocking some old lady over. 

Probably an idiot Extinction Rebeller would throw itself in front of one to say it discriminates against drivers. Do they have an override to run over the brainless bipeds??

Everything in America drives at the same speed anyway. Must be easier to program. Not like Germany where things seem to overtake faster than you can say where’s my wing mirror.

I agree with a lot of your points however having spent a lot of time in the US I am aware of the level of claim culture over there. This must have been considered before they went live and I'm sure with all the cameras attached every angle is covered to stop things like you mentioned happening

[Trex]

I think drivless cars could be great for pensions and drunk people. Only problem is taxi drivers/lorry drivers could lose there jobs etc. so it can be good and bad.

It’s a same with the internet, it’s great but most local shops like HMV and others gone bust because of the internet.

[Pillowtalk]

Can't happen too soon. I think all cars should be driverless and lorries too for that matter.

[Marmalade]

I think we need aerial lanes and taxis with antigrav like the scifi ones.

[king tarzan]

Theoretically they should be safer than regular cars. Not everyone’s convinced. And America is testing driverless lorries as well (though apparently only on the big highways).

I’d try one for the sake of it next time I was in SF — whereas on our little hub of an island it seems we can’t even legalise e-scooters without knocking some old lady over. 

Probably an idiot Extinction Rebeller would throw itself in front of one to say it discriminates against drivers. Do they have an override to run over the brainless bipeds??

Everything in America drives at the same speed anyway. Must be easier to program. Not like Germany where things seem to overtake faster than you can say where’s my wing mirror.

When I'm driving on the motorway I love blasting out the Hawaii five 0 theme...

[lamboman]

My GLC63 has all sorts of collision warnings available,I would say it isn't 100% right all of the time so I'm not sure I'd trust the technology from some 2 bit taxi firm.

[shed]

My GLC63 has all sorts of collision warnings available,I would say it isn't 100% right all of the time so I'm not sure I'd trust the technology from some 2 bit taxi firm.

Wow a GLC 63. Thanks for letting us know. 

[lillythesavage]

Wow a GLC 63. Thanks for letting us know. 

Only 2 cars more pointless the G63 and GLE 63  . Range Rover SVR is nearly as pointless.

Waste of a great engine, should only be in a Sport or Coupe that handles.

[puntingking]

It will always be too soon. Driverless cabs will take jobs and there are no need for them.
There will be some crashes with them but that is not why I don't want them to come here as real human have accidents with their vehicles aswell.  In the long term they may actually be safer than people driving cars but I still would not want them to replace humans actually driving cars.

Technology advances have been great but now we should stop it here because what would happen when Technology have eventually replace every human role on earth? 

[king tarzan]

It will always be too soon. Driverless cabs will take jobs and there are no need for them.
There will be some crashes with them but that is not why I don't want them to come here as real human have accidents with their vehicles aswell.  In the long term they may actually be safer than people driving cars but I still would not want them to replace humans actually driving cars.

Technology advances have been great but now we should stop it here because what would happen when Technology have eventually replace every human role on earth? 

Engineering has been trying driverless cars since 1980's.. the failure rate on rigourous safety aspects is very high...

[mr.bluesky]

Driverless taxis will probably be safer than most of the Uber and black cab drivers on the road today (especially Uber drivers).  I don't know what it's like in other parts of the country but in my part of the world I swear most Uber drivers have never taken a driving test let alone passed one  Despite the biggest cause of Airplane crashes being pilot error would you want to get aboard a pilot less aircraft  I know I wouldn't

[king tarzan]

Driverless taxis will probably be safer than most of the Uber and black cab drivers on the road today (especially Uber drivers).  I don't know what it's like in other parts of the country but in my part of the world I swear most Uber drivers have never taken a driving test let alone passed one  Despite the biggest cause of Airplane crashes being pilot error would you want to get aboard a pilot less aircraft  I know I wouldn't

I'm very stingy to pay for cabs
Public transport oyster card

Simpletto signor 🙌🙌🙌

[Gordon Bennett]

I'd be interested to compare the passenger experience of being in a normal cab that hit a schoolgirl and killed her to same situation in a driverless cab. By experience I mean absolutely everything from dealing with immediate aftermath to the inquest and beyond. I suspect there's probably a profound emotional difference when there's no cabbie to take the lead with things and an onus on YOU to step out of the cab and administer CPR, put out the flames, secure the scene or whatever.

[Marmalade]

I imagine mothers might be a bit pissed at the number of schoolgirls needed for that experiment!! But seriously… would it come to that? I hope not.

Even if it was statistically low (accidents involving auto-car vs normal car) snd it were the pedestrian’s fault, there’d be protests wanting to ban driverless cars.

We are apparently not even grown up enough to handle e-scooters in this country responsible enough to legalise. A study has shown that this country is ANTI-GROWTH. The Unconscious groupthink mindset of social media and febrile politicians is driving us towards 3rd world status.

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[Squire Haggard]

If driverless cars are on the roads, I think that I'll get the bus instead of going by car. 

[dexpunt]

If driverless cars are on the roads, I think that I'll get the bus instead of going by car. 

If there are driverless cars on the road there is every chance the busses will be driverless also

[Conkers13]

Why do we not have driverless trains? That would stop the drivers striking as they would have no job.
I think trains would be a sensible place to start and then have the driverless taxis.

[RedKettle]

If there are driverless cars on the road there is every chance the busses will be driverless also

Yep they are looking at driverless buses in various places around the world.

[radioman33]

Why do we not have driverless trains? That would stop the drivers striking as they would have no job.
I think trains would be a sensible place to start and then have the driverless taxis.

It can’t be that difficult

[puntingking]

Yep they are looking at driverless buses in various places around the world.

A great way to increase job demand in others areas which would inevitably lead to unemployment as there may not be enough jobs to go around for everyone 

[RedKettle]

It can’t be that difficult

One problem with trains for this is speed. Works best at low speed at the moment.

[Pillowtalk]

Why do we not have driverless trains? That would stop the drivers striking as they would have no job.
I think trains would be a sensible place to start and then have the driverless taxis.

WE do have driverless trains and have had for years, on London's dockland light railway.

[Bangman]

I've read so many articles from scientist claiming its safe. Blah blah blah, a few days later, accident in sans Francisco by one of the driverless cars.
I disagree with blusky.. I use uber almost everyday, some drivers are useless but that's the case with every taxi driver in the world. Good and bad everywhere and I don't want to see 10000s taxi, van drivers and people unemployed

[puntingking]

I've read so many articles from scientist claiming its safe. Blah blah blah, a few days later, accident in sans Francisco by one of the driverless cars.
I disagree with blusky.. I use uber almost everyday, some drivers are useless but that's the case with every taxi driver in the world. Good and bad everywhere and I don't want to see 10000s taxi, van drivers and people unemployed

One thing I have learnt from the past is that most scientists don't know what they talking about 

[Watts.E.Dunn]

WE do have driverless trains and have had for years, on London's dockland light railway.

As maybe, but in the 125 MPH mainline the man up front is still a big safety positive for me!..

[willie loman]

buses and trains will be driverless in the future, but taxi drivers do more than drive, they have to load luggage, help old people, etc besides there is no real incentive to make taxis driverless,

[puntingking]

buses and trains will be driverless in the future, but taxi drivers do more than drive, they have to load luggage, help old people, etc besides there is no real incentive to make taxis driverless,

You never know,  if they can manage cars that drive themselves then maybe they can manage luggage that  can fly into back of the self driving cars.

[catweazle]

I'm sure i remember a news item about plans for driverless taxis around  the London Olympic Park, in the run up to the 2012 games.

[lillythesavage]

I'm sure i remember a news item about plans for driverless taxis around  the London Olympic Park, in the run up to the 2012 games.

I think it was on the Greenwich Peninsula, around the dome, and quietly went away.

There was supposed to be water taxi around the Olympic park, manned by ex squaddies, but that went quietly away too.

It will never work while there are so many random moving obstacles, other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, electric scooters, skateboards using the same space.

The constant need for software updates on the VW,s adaptive cruise is annoying, but not half as annoying as it slamming on the brakes for no reason.

[StingRay]

I wonder if they can be programmed to take the longest route possible? 

[dexpunt]

Any more rail strikes and the train will become a priority