A Volvo with self-parking and without pedestrian recognition already ran into a dude it couldn't tell was there, and now one of Google's modified Lexus SUVs stuck its nose into the side of a bus while trying to get around some sandbags on the roadside:
http://www.wired.com/2016/02/googles-self-driving-car-may-caused-first-crash/
The car obviously knows how to change lanes safely, so it almost seems like because it technically wasn't executing a lane change, it didn't consider the bus in the lane it was slightly intruding into to be a problem.
WilD
HalfDork
2/29/16 2:44 p.m.
It is unreasonable to expect absolute perfection from anything built (or maintained) by imperfect humans. It was only a matter of time and this won't be the last autonomous crash.
Excellent! We need more carnage so the masses will awaken to this treachery and march on Google with torches and pitchforks.
1988RedT2 wrote:
Excellent! We need more carnage so the masses will awaken to this treachery and march on Google with torches and pitchforks.
Watch out for the autonomous cars during the march!
Kylini
HalfDork
2/29/16 3:07 p.m.
Also... I'm glad to have a reason to never visit WIRED again.
WilD wrote:
It is unreasonable to expect absolute perfection from anything built (or maintained) by imperfect humans. It was only a matter of time and this won't be the last autonomous crash.
Exactly, the definition of success shouldn’t be zero crashes, it should just be autonomous < human.
So...who gets the ticket?
Appleseed wrote:
So...who gets the ticket?
It's already on the books that the company that made/programmed the car is not liable.
I believe the person in the driver's seat is responsible, for much the same reason why we still have highly trained and vetted professionals piloting airliners that can take off, fly, and land entirely on autopilot, instead of minimum wage button pushers who can stab a destination airport into the computer and hit the go button. Just because they aren't required doesn't mean they might not be required, you know?
From my experience, every accident with a public bus was caused by the bus. At least here in the Burgh, they are the most aggressive, a-hole drivers around.
I'm no fan of automated cars but if I went a million miles and only had a 2 mph impact with a bus at the end of all that I'd be pretty proud of myself.
bluej
SuperDork
2/29/16 10:52 p.m.
pinchvalve wrote:
From my experience, every accident with a public bus was caused by the bus. At least here in the Burgh, they are the most aggressive, a-hole drivers around.
I was driven off a highway (side swiped us), over a curb, into the grass by a DC wmata bus. Bus just kept going. Even after raising hell and calling all sorts of Leo's we could think of, wmata did zilch to try to figure out who it was or pay us for the damage. We were lucky to be driving a wrangler that took it well, could have been a lot worse.
Sounds more like the bus caused the crash by refusing to allow the car to avoid hitting the objects in the road.
PHeller
PowerDork
3/1/16 10:12 a.m.
foxtrapper wrote:
Sounds more like the bus caused the crash by refusing to allow the car to avoid hitting the objects in the road.
Interesting point. In 20 years when we've got a quarter of the cars on the road driving themselves, and we've angry luddites trying to force those cars into compromising situations, video will be even more important.
"You honor, we believe the plaintiff intentionally cut off the self-driving car, forcing our client's Google car to deploy it's auto-cannon."
Knurled wrote:
Appleseed wrote:
So...who gets the ticket?
It's already on the books that the company that made/programmed the car is not liable.
An SUV drove into a crowd of people and...... The cars are always responsible!
Knurled wrote:
Appleseed wrote:
So...who gets the ticket?
It's already on the books that the company that made/programmed the car is not liable.
Actually, it's very much the other way around, and going ever stronger that way.
http://jalopnik.com/mercedes-google-volvo-to-accept-liability-when-their-1735170893
and
http://www.iii.org/issue-update/self-driving-cars-and-insurance
for examples.
And this from NHTSA to Google regarding the controls and the lack of need for human input also helps clarify where we are heading with regards to liability.
http://isearch.nhtsa.gov/files/Google%20--%20compiled%20response%20to%2012%20Nov%20%2015%20interp%20request%20--%204%20Feb%2016%20final.htm
