Friday, March 20, 2015

Self-Driving Cars?!

What could go wrong? (What are they thinking?)

Simple systems for moving people that have been around for a while still have "bugs" and issues which bedevil them.  Think ski-lifts or subway trains.  Self-driving cars in traffic are WAY more complex.
  • Potholes and debris.
  • Flat tires and mechanical problems.
  • Snow and ice.  Hurricanes and tornados.
  • Parking vs. empty vehicles on the road.
  • People driving in competition with driverless cars (game theory).
  • Solar flares disrupting GPS.
  • Power outages resulting in dark traffic signals.
  • Pit-stops.
  • Real-life distractions (noise in passenger compartment) and dilemmas (double-bind,  Sophie's choice, et al).
  • People j-walking, riding bicycles, etc.
  • Insurance?  Whose fault is it when mishaps hap?
It's all good news for the lawyers