NHTSA Does Not Want Self-Driving Cars To Drive By Themselves

by Bertel Schmitt

May 31st, 2013 10:06 AM

nhtsa does not want self driving cars to drive by themselves

I’m driven

Everybody seems to be on the bandwagon for self-driving cars, everybody except the NHTSA. In new guidelines, the NHTSA urges states to allow use of self-driving cars “only for testing and requiring safeguards to ensure they can be taken over by a driver in the case of malfunction,” the Detroit News writes.

“We believe there are a number of technological issues as well as human performance issues that must be addressed before self-driving vehicles can be made widely available,” NHTSA said. “Self-driving vehicle technology is not yet at the stage of sophistication or demonstrated safety capability that it should be authorized for use by members of the public for general driving purposes.”

NHTSA wants test drivers to get special licenses. If a state was to allow use of self-driving vehicles by the public, the agency urged them to require a special license and to mandate that person sit in the driver’s seat, ready to take over.

#BertelSchmitt #NHTSA #Self-drivingCar

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Gmichaelj on May 31, 2013

Sure, we'll never be able to come up with a system that can anticipate danger or changing conditions as well as you guys can. Computers being able to recognize patterns and respond is just sci-fi. I suppose all you guys can shift faster than a dual clutch transmission and brake better than an ABS system as well.

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- Mcs on May 31, 2013
  
  "Sure, we’ll never be able to come up with a system that can anticipate danger or changing conditions as well as you guys can." I'm busting my butt right now to build one. We just have a ways to go and it seems that people are a bit over optimistic about the effort and the scale of technology to do it. We're also looking for a sort of silver bullet to speed things along. The idea is to evolve the product gradually. Start out with household chores, then move up to an industrial robot. Not like in the past, one that is able to replace a human directly on an assembly line using the same process and tools as the human. Next, maybe the domestic robot could walk to a store, shop for ingredients, then return with the purchases. Finally it would have the ability to climb in a car and drive it. This isn't really my idea - the credit goes to DARPA that for a challenge last year wanted a robot that could climb into an unmodified vehicle and drive it. Makes sense - why tie up some hyper-expensive technology into a vehicle when it could be utilized elsewhere.
  
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- Brian P on May 31, 2013
  
  @mcs We're seeing the beginnings of collision-avoidance systems in production today. These will become more and more advanced - thus helping the driver out by stopping the driver from doing certain things that would blatantly result in a collision (e.g. driving into an intersection disregarding other traffic that is coming, etc). What worries me is that they won't impose a sufficient penalty on the driver for making a grievous error. The blind-spot detection systems now just give a meek flash or beep. If the driver makes a grievous error, like trying to pull ahead into traffic and thus requiring the computer to intervene, that driver needs to be penalized for it. Screw up once ... beep (it happens). Screw up twice ... BUZZZZ and the radio goes off and bluetooth goes off and the driver needs to press an "acknowledge grievous error" button. Screw up three times, car shuts down (safely) and requests a new driver. Or something like that.
  
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- NMGOM on May 31, 2013
  
  gmichaelj.... You mentioned: "Computers being able to recognize patterns and respond is just sci-fi." Respectfully, this has not been the case for at least 25 years. Pattern recognition, object identification, and landscape analysis by military systems would astound you. I know. It was my profession. The issue with SDC's is the % success we would demand ultimately, and the cost of such systems commercially. --------------
  
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- Gmichaelj on May 31, 2013
  
  @mcs Thanks, that seems reasonable. If I "read" you correctly it is far off - 10+ years???
  
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- Gmichaelj on May 31, 2013
  
  @NMGOM Ok, so do you think such a system will have to be near perfect before it is in use? Given all the bad/marginal drivers I see, I wonder how good self driving cars will have to be to give us a significant improvement in traffic flow and fewer accidents.
  
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PeteRR on May 31, 2013

Interim step: Outfit cars with sensors and cameras so as to allow operating it by remote control like the Predator drone. Then sign up millions of un/underemployed 3rd world types to drive our cars from a control center in Bangladesh.

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- Dude500 on May 31, 2013
  
  +1 this is actually a great idea. Wouldn't be any worse than riding a taxi.
  
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- Wmba on May 31, 2013
  
  Great idea! But how are they going to scrape the ice and road salt off the sensors on a cold morning? You mean they expect ME to do it? Moi? Surely you jest? Why do think I laid out the big bucks for this car, anyway? Harumph.
  
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Raph on Jun 01, 2013

Heh, I can't wait for the Nissan Mr. Roboto GT-R 9000 and its preternatural lap times and the great forum debate over which is better in much the same way people argue over human vs. self shifting transmissions.

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Wheeler on Jun 01, 2013

Big Brother go ahead and audit me if you like....but please don't take away the sheer fun of driving myself.

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- Lie2me on Jun 01, 2013
  
  +1 Thank you for voicing exactly what I was thinking as I read through all these comments. What about those who really enjoy the complete experience of driving? Will we be forced into these SDCs or will there be the option of not "driving" an SDC? Would it be similar to people who prefer a stick shift over an automatic? Some, including me, think that our cars are already making too many decisions for us as it is. It has been a slow gradual progression towards SDCs since the first automatic transmission was introduced and it has continued ever since to the point where a technologically well optioned car practically reduces the driving experience to passive input. Do we want cars to do it all, do we even have a choice?
  
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