Funkworks
Low Earth Orbit, obstructing Earth's view of Venus
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2018
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The idea is that a computer is able to collect more data than a human and if it can process all of it faster than a human, it can be safer. Can a human driver avoid kangaroos and wallabies? If so, programmers will try to make the computer just as competent or more. If a human cannot avoid them, then a computer can't be worse.I’ll also bet my left… dangly thing… that any self driving system that can deal with macropods is a looong way away. Ten years or more.
Volvo spent nearly ten years trying to develop a kangaroo avoidance system in the early 2000s. They gave up. The sheer unpredictability beat them.
Kangaroos and wallabies are completely unpredictable. They will run into the side of your car when you’re driving past at 5 mph.
Think of self-driving a truckload of different features. They can all work together, or just a few at a time. It's not just "self-driving" or "not self-driving", but a whole spectrum of possibilities and options, and they're still making choices as to what works best for what situation. Just the continuation of brakes, seatbelts, cruise control, ABS, airbags, rear view camera, warnings, lane change, etc. Each feature and situation is carefully worked out.
It's quite possible they haven't yet worked on a situation where a kangaroo and wallaby come in from either side while you take the 3rd exit of a roundabout in a snowstorm while passing a bus. That's why they collect data from users. But when it happens and they work it out, all the cars will be able to handle it, not just one driver.