GM Expects to Offer Hands-Free Driving by 2016

[Pete from Boston]

The times I was most crucial to the survival of me, my passengers, and my vehicle, not already having control of the wheel would have made a big difference.  However, maybe some of the automatic technology would have made up for some of that. 

[Brandon]

The times I was most crucial to the survival of me, my passengers, and my vehicle, not already having control of the wheel would have made a big difference.  However, maybe some of the automatic technology would have made up for some of that. 

Given the computer problems I've had at work, I'm glad I'm in control of the vehicle and not some software program written by a recluse who never bathes holed up in a darkened computer lab high on Oreos and Diet Coke.

As bad as people can be behind the wheel, I trust computer programs that much less.

[Dr Frankenstein]

If I'm supposed to keep my mind on the road, the best way to achieve that is to put those lazy members of mine to a road-related use and actually drive the goddamn car. That's why I deemed the feature completely useless and potentially prone to dangerous abuse upthread. The fact that it's "hands-free driving" and not even "self-driving" makes it even worse.

EDIT: Typo.

[Roadrunner75]

If I'm supposed to keep my mind on the road, the best way to achieve that is to put those lazy members of mind to a road-related use and actually drive the goddamn car. That's why I deemed the feature completely useless and potentially prone to dangerous abuse upthread. The fact that it's "hands-free driving" and not even "self-driving" makes it even worse.

Agreed.  It completely runs counter to the big current push against cell phone use, texting and other distracted driving.  We're getting the message strong now to focus on driving and maintain control of your vehicle, and at the same time they're coming out with a feature that allows us to lose that focus and control.  It's not that hard to keep your hands on the wheel and maintain control of your vehicle.  The technology, the roads and all the other 'dumb' vehicles on the road piloted by people who will swerve in front of the hands-free car just aren't there yet.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Not enthused.  Just one more step toward not being able to drive at all anymore.

[cpzilliacus]

Self driving cars may also signal the end of public transit in many parts of the United States, and even where transit lines continue to operate, their patronage may well fall-off, since it will be possible to use a car to get to any area with little (or expensive) parking, and then send the car away to park in a cheaper or free place.

[vdeane]

Or the transit-advocates dream of private car ownership ending and self-driving cars acting as glorified taxis.  That would essentially obsolete all other forms of transit within a metro.

[Scott5114]

One tricky bit here is "proper" lane markings. The car might have a problem discerning lane markings in some areas due to DOT idiosyncrasies (in Oklahoma, for instance, double yellows are a lot closer together than most states, and dashed white lines are followed with a black line on concrete but not on asphalt). The system probably also expects the lane markings to be immaculately maintained, which would make using it in Oklahoma pretty iffy, since our road paint is only slightly more durable than sidewalk chalk and flakes off the pavement when subjected to a particularly withering glare.

[DaBigE]

Self driving cars may also signal the end of public transit in many parts of the United States, and even where transit lines continue to operate, their patronage may well fall-off, since it will be possible to use a car to get to any area with little (or expensive) parking, and then send the car away to park in a cheaper or free place.

I think those scenarios are still a long ways off yet. You still have to be able to afford the car first, and so far, we're only talking about luxury vehicles that would have this technology. We're still a good decade away from new Malibus, Fusions, and Corollas from having this as an optional feature.

One tricky bit here is "proper" lane markings. The car might have a problem discerning lane markings in some areas due to DOT idiosyncrasies (in Oklahoma, for instance, double yellows are a lot closer together than most states, and dashed white lines are followed with a black line on concrete but not on asphalt). The system probably also expects the lane markings to be immaculately maintained, which would make using it in Oklahoma pretty iffy, since our road paint is only slightly more durable than sidewalk chalk and flakes off the pavement when subjected to a particularly withering glare.

I'm also curious as to how temperamental the system will be with various weather conditions. Obviously, it won't work with snow-covered roads, but what about rain-soaked roads? The layer of water changes the reflectivity of most pavement markings.

[vdeane]

I think those scenarios are still a long ways off yet. You still have to be able to afford the car first, and so far, we're only talking about luxury vehicles that would have this technology. We're still a good decade away from new Malibus, Fusions, and Corollas from having this as an optional feature.

That assumes that you own the car in the first place.  We already have zip cars.  Imagine self-driving zip cars.  Imagine if all cars were self-driving zip cars.

That's a real proposal, by the way.  I'm not making it up.

[Pete from Boston]

Or the transit-advocates dream of private car ownership ending and self-driving cars acting as glorified taxis.  That would essentially obsolete all other forms of transit within a metro.

Obsolete? That's nuts.  Have you been in the downtown of a major transit-dependent city center during a morning rush?  Under even the best-managed self-driving car scenario, putting all subway passengers in cars would choke the streets to gridlock.

What you describe as "transit-advocates dream" is a fantasy of a small minority of transit advocates, a group that as a whole includes a very large chunk of the population in places that rely on a major transit system–thousands upon thousands of daily commuters and more.  Having worked even among the hardcore committed activist types, I can say that only in a few will you find much of this type of extremism.  It is a poor characterization of the general transit-advocating population, and it's a preposterous non-starter of an idea.