Norm Schultze Wrote:
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> Self driving cars are in their infancy. But they
> will soon be as good as Cars with human drivers.
> As if human drivers were without problems and
> faults.


While this is nice in theory, it’s not a reality or a practicality. The fact is, self driving cars are, essentially, based on computer algorithms. Very complicated computer algorithms, but computer algorithms none the less. Computers are great at working around predictable situations. Take predictability out of the equation and the situation becomes much more complex. I see there possibly being some sort of practicable application for self driving cars in more controlled settings, but I just don’t see the technology ever reaching that point, at least any time in the foreseeable future, in situations outside of that. In particular, I see the technology struggling greatly with long, cross country trips. There are just too many variables out there that are too difficult for a computer to handle. How is your car supposed to tell the difference between a bush blowing in the wind and a wild animal standing along the road that could dart out in front of you, especially if it’s not a perfectly unobstructed view? Or a patch of black ice? Or anything else for that matter. My car’s obstruction auto detection system has trouble every time I back out of the driveway. There’s no way I’d ever be willing to trust an even more complex, risk prone system with my life on a daily basis.

We rely too much on computers as it is, assuming they can solve every problem. One need not look any further than the latest round of new locomotives entering US rails to see this. Not all, but many of the teething troubles seen on new locomotives, especially those in passenger service, are caused by computer failure resulting in system shut down.

Just my $1.80, adjusted for inflation.