Yo, Cadillac To Market Self-Driving Car...

[kib]

I would want the option to turn it off. If the conditions are right I love driving, but in crappy weather or traffic or if I'm tired, self driving mode sounds great.

There's been a lot of talk about this lately. There are some really good ideas out there, basically the cars have what amounts to sonar so they can move in sync, commune with satellite re traffic conditions or roadwork, and speed or slow to deter gridlock. The problems seem to be bad weather driving, understanding human traffic directors, and the "human" factor - if you're going to hit a schoolbus or a parked car and the schoolbus will do less damage to you, how does the car know not to choose it. Seems to me it may be good technology in a driver-free world, but not so great interacting with the rest of us. And then again ... even our current GPS occasionally lands us on the wrong side of a big street. You Have Arrived At Your Destination. No I bloody well haven't, it's over there across six lanes of traffic.

ETA: Spartana, yes, I think Bobomapoupalus would be an excellent driver.

[JaneV2.0]

I imagine artificial intelligence will fill in the blanks--i.e. the human factor. AI is the Big New Thing.

[ctg492]

The car I started driving this week has Distronic Plus with Pre-Safe Brake. It initiates 40% break power and alerts driver of breaking needed. If the driver fails to respond the system can apply full break on it's own. I am not sure how I feel about this as I have really only driven it twice now. It is strange to adjust to. Being in cruise control and coming up behind a car going less then what my cruise is set at, the car starts to adjust speed. If you are not paying close attention to what is happening , you feel that you are maintaining proper distance. Then you look at speed and see you have dropped a few mph. SO you pass and the speed increases on it own. There was a dip in the road yesterday the car braked and the red light flashed on the panel. But my question is, This technology is fully out there so why is it not being used by all???

[kib]

Yes, our car has "radar cruise" too. I hate it and don't use it. When we first got the car I didn't know it was on, and kept trying to nudge up the cruise speed, but since I was behind another car nothing happened. Then I switched lanes and suddenly I'm zooming toward the back end of a truck ahead at 89 mph. It would have slowed me to the truck speed, but Disturbing, not to mention a waste of gas.

[Miss Cellane]

But my question is, This technology is fully out there so why is it not being used by all???

1. Because it is expensive and not everyone can afford a car with it.
2. Because some of us are driving perfectly good cars built before the tech was readily available.

I'm sure at some point this tech will become standard on all cars, just as air conditioning, radios, and USB ports have become. But that may take a while.

[ctg492]

I just rode my bike in the rain at 39 degree to the grocery store. Even with the weather, being on two wheels was far better then all the tech, traffic and 4 wheels.

[Packy]

I just rode my bike in the rain at 39 degree to the grocery store. Even with the weather, being on two wheels was far better then all the tech, traffic and 4 wheels.

Wow, that is hardcore. And I mean that as a compliment. But, I hope you managed to stay dry. So, do you wear biking clothes, or your regular streetwear, like jeans? Just curious, because I'm looking around for bikewear for cold weather that doesn't restrict me. All of it is pricy, except for direct imports.

[ctg492]

I am not the spandex biker type wear lady. I have tried every type clothing and have found what works for me is dressing for where, what I am doing and the weather. Yesterday in the rain and I went out twice once to the store and once just for the reason that I wanted to in the rain before the 30 mph wind was to kick in. I wore my regular clothing and then my rain out fit over top. I have assorted gloves, socks, scarfs for winter riding. I have boots or my insulated shoes. I think I look nice not bummy. I am actually far better in cold weather dressing then hot weather. I layer in the winter. 35 degrees is the threshold for me. 35 if sunny can be too warm to bundle, below is safe to bundle up. I will admitt in the hot weather after years of riding, I wear my running clothes to wick sweat. I hate to sweat. I spent the last year in the south and everyone knew how I complained everytime I rode that required a shower afterwards! I ride in all weather except strong wind above 15mph, driving heavy rain, ice or really deep snow. Other then that I will tackle it all. I have snow studded tires for my winter bike. For 5 years (except the last 12 months of my crazy life) I have ridden above 3,200 mile a year. I am back on track to ride daily again as my life has settled and that is why I hit the road yesterday. Plus I love waving at everyone when I ride by in the rain or snow!
Can you tell I LOVE riding! I have bikes for every reason and way I feel. Helmets too.

[jp1]

It will be interesting to see how auto insurance changes with this new technology. After all, as it stands now, when I'm driving and I cause an accident I, or my insurance company, is liable for the damage to the other party(ies). But if the car was driving itself who is going to pay? Still me and my insurance company? Probably not. Most likely it'll be the car manufacturer or the software company or some combination of the two.

[Spartana]

I am not the spandex biker type wear lady. I have tried every type clothing and have found what works for me is dressing for where, what I am doing and the weather. Yesterday in the rain and I went out twice once to the store and once just for the reason that I wanted to in the rain before the 30 mph wind was to kick in. I wore my regular clothing and then my rain out fit over top. I have assorted gloves, socks, scarfs for winter riding. I have boots or my insulated shoes. I think I look nice not bummy. I am actually far better in cold weather dressing then hot weather. I layer in the winter. 35 degrees is the threshold for me. 35 if sunny can be too warm to bundle, below is safe to bundle up. I will admitt in the hot weather after years of riding, I wear my running clothes to wick sweat. I hate to sweat. I spent the last year in the south and everyone knew how I complained everytime I rode that required a shower afterwards! I ride in all weather except strong wind above 15mph, driving heavy rain, ice or really deep snow. Other then that I will tackle it all. I have snow studded tires for my winter bike. For 5 years (except the last 12 months of my crazy life) I have ridden above 3,200 mile a year. I am back on track to ride daily again as my life has settled and that is why I hit the road yesterday. Plus I love waving at everyone when I ride by in the rain or snow!
Can you tell I LOVE riding! I have bikes for every reason and way I feel. Helmets too.

Very cool ctg! I try to ride my bike most places or even just for recreation everyday. Like you I hate hot weather riding but also don't like cold weather riding too much (use to live in the local mountain - where it's snowed yesterday and is around 13 degrees today - and in both Alaska and Maine during winters and often rode there and it was crazy!). So kudos to you for riding in winter - especially in Michigan (brrr........) not quite as tough for me here in sunny SoCal :-)! At least I can ride in shorts and tee shorts most days but do wear leggings and a heavy sweatshirt or jacket if it's cold out.