Google - Google driverless cars

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Wed 28 May 2014 10:02
Google - Google driverless cars - dan86

m.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27587558

The link above is to a article on the bbc about Googles driverless cars. It has designed it's own cars now and say that they will be safer than a car driven by a human.

The article also suggest about emergency situations where human input might be needed and goes on to say that this could be more dangerous sa the human operating the vehicle will have got used to not driving.

I think it is a good idea but agree with the whole humans forgetting how to drive in an emergency.

What to other backroom members think?

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Wed 28 May 2014 10:33
Google - Google driverless cars - Armitage Shanks {p}

The technology may be great but why is the thing so UGLY?

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Wed 28 May 2014 13:36
Google - Google driverless cars - Snakey

Looking at that reminds of the file Wall-E, where the humans have devolved into blobs of fat who can't use their legs and are transported around door to door by self driving chariots.

Can't say i'm desperate to have this vision of the future just yet.

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Wed 28 May 2014 13:49
Google - Google driverless cars - alan1302

The technology may be great but why is the thing so UGLY?

It's a prototype for testing things - not woth trying to make it look good. Needs to be simple and easy to build.

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Wed 28 May 2014 14:12
Google - Google driverless cars - hillman

Here is the Telegraph article.

www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10859937/Why...l

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Wed 28 May 2014 14:12
Google - Google driverless cars - RickyBoy

Plans already in place in (C)MK:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-248...8

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Wed 28 May 2014 19:22
Google - Google driverless cars - Armitage Shanks {p}

Yes but most manufacturers build a good looking car and then disguise it in various ways. Why build an ugly one and then change it for production? I guess if people are going use the system, wiithout owning the vehicles, they won't care what they look like.

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Wed 28 May 2014 23:29
Google - Google driverless cars - alan1302

Yes but most manufacturers build a good looking car and then disguise it in various ways. Why build an ugly one and then change it for production? I guess if people are going use the system, wiithout owning the vehicles, they won't care what they look like.

Google aren't going into production with these - they are just for trying out the various parts they need for their driverless hardware and software.

They will partner up with manufactueres to create cars when it comes to seeling them to the public.

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Thu 29 May 2014 08:07
Google - Google driverless cars - Simon
If you want a laugh, read the article on www.sniffpetrol.com about the new Google Car. I think that it sums them and their potential owners up perfectly!!!
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Thu 29 May 2014 08:46
Google - Google driverless cars - RickyBoy
Thought

www.dailymash.co.uk

would have had a view on this by now too. Give it time...
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Thu 29 May 2014 08:47
Google - Google driverless cars - RickyBoy
Thought

www.dailymash.co.uk

would have had a view on this by now too. Give it time...
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Thu 29 May 2014 08:48
Google - Google driverless cars - RickyBoy
errr, that's:

www.thedailymash.co.uk
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Thu 29 May 2014 09:39
Google - Google driverless cars - dan86

I think they have designed them like that to be pedestrian friendly as they are only designed for urban driving. And like others have said it's still part of the research and design phase.

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Thu 29 May 2014 11:38
Google - Google driverless cars - HandCart

Item on TV last night showing archive footage of the novelty of the first minicabs in London – they seemed to be a fleet of the original Fiat 600 Multipla.

I had to agree with the comment in the item that the Google cars are visually quite reminiscent of that old Multipla.

Which is quite fitting, as these things are basically a taxi without a driver.

(or would you rather a ‘Johnnycab’? (Total recall))

;-)

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Fri 30 May 2014 21:03
Google - Google driverless cars - Sofa Spud

I think it will be a very long time before driverless cars become anything more than experimental test-beds.

But what will appear much sooner what might be called 'aided driver' cars. For instance, using GPS, cars could be fitted with variable speed limiters that keep the car within the limit for any particular stretch of road. Also collision avoidance and anti-tailgating devices could be fitted. And if the worst should happen, data recorders linked to dashcams would be able to determine exactly what happened.

I saw an artice the other day about how one lorry manufacturer had developed self-driving technology that allows lorries to travel in close convoy, with only the front vehicle needing to be driven by the driver, while the other drivers just sit in their seats doing nothing.

Err.....we have a better system than this for moving freight already, it's called a railway!

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