Google introduces its first prototype of a completely driverless vehicle.
Google introduces its first prototype of a completely driverless vehicle.
The prototype accommodates for two passengers and is missing quite a few of the features you’d expect to see in a standard car. With no need for a steering wheel, mirrors or braking and accelerating pedals, the car comes fully equipped with special software and sensors that feed information into an onboard computer, which then drives the car.
The story and video are very vague about a lot of important details, such as how much programing was necessary for the vehicle to do the specific test drives shown as well as how the passengers tell the vehicle where to go. Nonetheless, as a prototype this vehicle is quite intriguing.
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Google introduces its first prototype of a completely driverless vehicle.
The prototype accommodates for two passengers and is missing quite a few of the features you’d expect to see in a standard car. With no need for a steering wheel, mirrors or braking and accelerating pedals, the car comes fully equipped with special software and sensors that feed information into an onboard computer, which then drives the car.
The story and video are very vague about a lot of important details, such as how much programing was necessary for the vehicle to do the specific test drives shown as well as how the passengers tell the vehicle where to go. Nonetheless, as a prototype this vehicle is quite intriguing.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
So is there no manual control? I’m reminded of the story of how the first fighter jets didn’t have guns because people assumed there would be no high speed Dog fights, it didn’t quite work out that way.
Even the best auto pilot which is what this basically is. You still need he option if limited more than a traditional car to take over when things don’t go as planed.
“With no need for a steering wheel, mirrors or braking and accelerating pedals”
Why wouldn’t they put mirrors in? People like to look around without turning around.
No manual control?
Count me out.
Plus its ugly as hell. Looks like one of those kids riding toys.
These are not really meant for the open road, they as I understand it are for testing and gated community’s with a top speed of twenty five miles per hour, I could not see them being used for any kind of a commute beyond 5 miles, let alone a congested urban setting, the University of Michigan is building a testing facility that has a number of challenges for autonomous vehicles http://www.roadsbridges.com/autonomous-vehicles-university-michigan-breaks-ground-announces-industry-partners-autonomous-vehicle, with what looks like a second test track area at Willow Run airport where the b-25 plant was, I would imagine that there are more track test facilitys in other state also being built for this next step in urban planning. As for my interest, I would never use this mode of transportation, but I understand that it will have its applications.
Recall the movie ‘The Right Stuff’ where the Mercury astronauts are looking at the prototype capsule. People like to be in control of their machines.
I found a different side to the autonomous car that I had not thought of at The Truth About Cars, whereby the author of this piece has questions about software that would try to minimize an accident at a cost, http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/05/qotd-a-robot-car-that-kills-you/#more-834481 just another viewpoint.
B-24 plant.
My bad, thankyou.