SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
The technology of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is progressing rapidly, but have we really thought through how they'll work in reality?
In its report on AVs in Australia, Austroads (the association of Australasian road transport and traffic agencies) paints both positive and negative scenarios for the future.
The positive scenario suggests that AVs could reduce car ownership and use thanks to a fleet of shared and connected AVs. These AVs would roam the city, filling in gaps in the timetables and fixed routes of a superior and cheaper public transport network.
But for this scenario to work, AVs must be shared and not privately owned, and they must complement a robust public transport system that accommodates most trips. These mechanisms are either weak or nonexistent in most Australian cities, suggesting it's unlikely the arrival of AVs will reduce our dependence on private cars.
Shared autonomous cars should be as much fun as riding in the back of a New York cab.
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:28PM (4 children)
> Shared autonomous cars should be as much fun as riding in the back of a New York cab.
New York Cabs are awful, a lot of that because of the advertising on the telescreen. Thank god for uber
(Score: 2) by richtopia on Thursday December 06 2018, @01:46PM (1 child)
I suspect they will be more fun. I am concerned that having a private vehicle with no driver will result in sex, drugs, and vandalism occurring in the vehicle.
But don't worry, I'm sure Waymo/Google will use machine learning to identify when the occupants are up to no good. Then bad stuff will happen? Perhaps you lose a deposit? Or worse: your Gmail account gets closed!
(Score: 4, Funny) by nitehawk214 on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:04PM
Or, put a camera in the car, publish online for fun and profit?
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday December 06 2018, @03:16PM
Maybe shared autonomous cars won't be like a new york cab.
Maybe they'll be more like a shared elevator car you ride up to the 40th floor.
Or maybe they'll be more like the ride you get into at Disney World. You get in mere seconds after the previous rider got out. Yet it's nice and clean and ready for you to use.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Thursday December 06 2018, @04:49PM
There. FTFY.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr