According to GM, they are working on cars that will use radio singnals and GPS to drive themselves, and are hoping to get them out by the end of the decade around 2018/2019, or early 20s. So, I was thinking how useful that would be when going out late, or when drunk, instead of having to find a driver. I'm sure as the next decade goes on it will be a standard feature, but if I have the money I'll buy. What does everyone else think?
Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/07/tech/main3682391.shtml

According to GM, they are working on cars that will use radio singnals and GPS to drive themselves, and are hoping to get them out by the end of the decade around 2018/2019, or early 20s. So, I was thinking how useful that would be when going out late, or when drunk, instead of having to find a driver. I'm sure as the next decade goes on it will be a standard feature, but if I have the money I'll buy. What does everyone else think?
Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/07/tech/main3682391.shtml
ah, it'll be just like the politically correct cars from "demolition man."

They already parallel park. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW-MhoLImqg&feature=PlayList&p=4D8AC0130B01C522&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=18

if  this is true, BUY STOCK IN ANHEUSER-BUSCH AND MILLER!!!  :o :o :o

if  this is true, BUY STOCK IN ANHEUSER-BUSCH AND MILLER!!!  :o :o :o


...and invite their old pal Jack Daniels  ;)

Never mind self-driving cars, I WANT A JETPACK!!!

http://www.ohgizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/jetPI.jpg

Cars will never be able to drive themselves simply because a drive down a road is never a non-stop journey.

Will the radio signals tell me when a kid or an animal jumps in front of my car?  Will it signal me if there is a nail or a pothole in the road?  And if those radio signals malfunction, will my car auto drive me off a cliff or into the path of an oncoming car, tree or building?

I will manually drive my own car thank you.  I value my life and don't need electronics doing work for me that I can do myself. 

Cars will never be able to drive themselves simply because a drive down a road is never a non-stop journey.

Will the radio signals tell me when a kid or an animal jumps in front of my car?  Will it signal me if there is a nail or a pothole in the road?  And if those radio signals malfunction, will my car auto drive me off a cliff or into the path of an oncoming car, tree or building?

I will manually drive my own car thank you.  I value my life and don't need electronics doing work for me that I can do myself. 


But...but...what about KITT?!?  :o

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/AL-B_photos/knightriderkittdesert3ou.gif

If it's self driving then there's no need for someone to be behind the wheel.

Cars will never be able to drive themselves simply because a drive down a road is never a non-stop journey.



Ah-so!
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/09/smilejap.gif

The ALREADY have cars that drive themselves...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJr0DgcKZ1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQxKELtTvUQ

With GPS and other (now) common mapping technologies its fairly easy to have a car "know" or "learn" any area or roadway, turns, stops, calculate safe speeds etc.

The problem is not that self driving cars can't be done (almost every car manufacturer has a prototype of some sort), its always that fly in the ointment that is a problem, HUMAN BEINGS.

In order to have a safe and complete functioning self driving car system, ALL cars would have to self driving. Just one car operated by a non self driving system, aka a regular driver, would mess everything up. 

I don't think we have the technology (right now*) for a self driving car to anticipate all the completely STUPID things a human driver does and to be able to avoid an accident or traffic collision.

The only way to truly have a self driving car is to completely eliminate the human driver factor, and I'm pretty sure most drivers will not give up the control of their beloved automobile anytime in the near future.

*soon, though, very soon...

But...but...what about KITT?!?  :o

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s78/AL-B_photos/knightriderkittdesert3ou.gif


He's an exception because there's nothing William Daniels cannot do :D

This is something that I would need. I haven't driven a car in about 8 or 9 years. Last week, my license expired and I chose not to renew it. My driving days are truly over.



Cat

They already had self-driving cars in the 20's, they just didn't work very well.  :o :o :o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP8cTNsX3F0

Cars will never be able to drive themselves simply because a drive down a road is never a non-stop journey.


I'm not sure about cars never being able to drive themselves. I think it's completely possible for someone to come up with a technology that allows a car to analyze it's surroundings and stop/go/slow down/speed up/whatever based on that analysis. Maybe that's not plausible for the immediate future, but I wouldn't say it's completely out of the realm of possibility.