self driving vehicle on UK motorways in 2023

[McNab]

So now we have completely empty cars driving round the streets causing congestion?

[The Spin Doctor]

In a company blog post Tuesday, Waymo said the company chose to do the voluntary recall after consulting with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and its internal review of two incidents which took place in Phoenix on Dec. 11, 2023, in which two robotaxis crashed into the same towed pickup truck within minutes of each other.


https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/13/waymo-i ... tware.html

[Lutin]

From the Beeb - Tesla to settle over fatal Autopilot crash

Electric car giant Tesla has agreed to settle a lawsuit over a crash in 2018 which killed Apple engineer Walter Huang after his Model X, operating on Autopilot, collided with a highway barrier.

The case, brought by Mr Huang's family, was scheduled to begin in the California Superior Court this week.

If the trial had gone ahead, it would have brought increased scrutiny of the firm's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technology.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed and reports have said the deal still needs to be approved by a judge. Tesla did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.

Before the settlement, Tesla argued that Mr Huang had misused the system because he was playing a video game just before the accident.

The firm has previously won trials in California by arguing that drivers involved had not followed its instructions to maintain attention while using the system.

The electric vehicle (EV) maker faces a series of lawsuits over crashes related to the alleged use of its driver-assistant technology.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also been investigating some accidents involving Autopilot.

[iansoady]

Yes, heard this this morning. TBH it reminds me of the idiot who sued MacDonalds because her coffee was too hot and she spilled it! I rarley have sympathy with the likes of Musk but in this case I may make an exception.

[Mr. Dazzle]

TBH it reminds me of the idiot who sued MacDonalds because her coffee was too hot and she spilled it! I

There's actually way more to that case than just "coffee is hot you moron". Quite interesting if you're interested in that sort of thing

[Horse]

TBH it reminds me of the idiot who sued MacDonalds because her coffee was too hot and she spilled it! I

Interesting stuff

But that guy's arms must get tired long before he takes off

[Mr. Dazzle]

He's American, he can't help it

[cheb]

Humour a lazy git who dislikes youtube videos. What more was there to it than 'Coffee is hot you moron'?

[iansoady]

I suppose it is true that we rarely hear the whole story, but I'd like to know more about both cases.

[MyLittleStudPony]

If Phil Colin's taught us one thing it's that there's always two sides to a story.

Also that you can't hurry love too I guess.

[Cousin Jack]

Happened across this which makes interesting reading.

https://www.rideapart.com/features/7024 ... torcycles/

Self driving cars are as blind as drivers when it comes to seeing motorcycles.

[Horse]

Humour a lazy git who dislikes youtube videos. What more was there to it than 'Coffee is hot you moron'?

700+ previous instances of customers being injured, for which they had paid out massive compensation

She suffered third degree burns, required plastic surgery

She asked McD for help with medical bills, they refused. She asked for $20,000

Several times, she (and legals) offered to settle out of court. McDs refused.

The court found in her favor, awarded IIRC $75K

The jury awarded the massive damages, IIRC $2.5M - but reduced it substantially because it was her who spilt it

Watch it. That's just one of the cases covered.

[cheb]

So just 'Coffee is hot, moron' then. But with the US's wonderful justice system applied.

I'll give it a go, but if he takes more than 30 seconds to say something interesting, he's shouty or there's really bad rock music playing I'm out.

[Horse]

So just 'Coffee is hot, moron' then. But with the US's wonderful justice system applied.

No, not quite. Just watch the video. The McD is only one covered of several cases

[cheb]

Just watched it. To me it's still 'Coffee is hot, moron.' What more is there? There's at least 701 morons in the US? Not gripping a very hot cup between your thighs is one of those things you should know by the time you are considered an adult. I drink tea, serve me tea at an immediately drinkable temperature and you'll get a raised eyebrow and pointed look.

I reminded of a comment made about someone who'd been rescued off a mountain whilst woefully unprepared for the weather and was banging on about it not being their fault. 'If I did something that stupid I'd keep quiet about it.'

[Hot_Air]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... olice-say/

[The Spin Doctor]

Covered that today on Elevenses. Ticks two 'fail' boxes... the technology didn't work, the wetware placed undue reliance in the technology.

[Lutin]

Ford are also in on the act - US probes Ford hands-free driving tech after crashes

A US road safety agency is investigating Ford's BlueCruise driver assistance system following two fatal collisions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wrote in both cases Ford Mustang Mach-E cars collided with stationary vehicles at night, while the system was engaged.

BlueCruise is a driver assistance technology that allows hands-free driving on certain roads, typically motorways.

Ford told the BBC that it was working with NHTSA "to support its investigation".

In February, a Ford Mustang Mach-E using BlueCruise hit the rear of a stationary Honda, killing the 56-year-old driver of the stopped car, Reuters reported.

The other crash involving a Ford Mach-E occurred in March in Philadelphia.

BlueCruise checks whether drivers are paying attention using eye-tracking cameras, and prompts them to take control back over the vehicle if it identifies any drift in focus.

The NHTSA says its preliminary probe will focus on the driver monitoring aspect of the system, as well as how well it generally performs driving tasks.

[The Spin Doctor]

"BlueCruise checks whether drivers are paying attention using eye-tracking cameras, and prompts them to take control back over the vehicle if it identifies any drift in focus."

Shouldn't that be the moment BlueCruise works hardest to keep the distracted driver OUT of trouble rather than saying "here, over to you"?

There are technologies that could wake the driver up - a 'seat shaker' might be a good one - but you don't want to hand control back to someone not expecting it.

[Horse]

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arti ... mous-tech/

Abu Dhabi's Autonomous Racing League attempted to hold the first open race between AI-controlled cars on Saturday. Cambridge Kisby was trackside at Yas Marina to see an ambitious event, held at least a year too early

Will AI replicate the mind of a racing driver? Can lines of code be infused with the competitive fire, the instinct for a promising gap, the sense of a car’s razor-edged limit, or the precise positioning to frustrate rivals?

Not anytime soon is the short answer, after last weekend’s debut Autonomous Racing League event which was billed as the first ever open race between driverless cars. The grand final saw one car spin on the first green flag lap and the remaining three AI machines grind to a halt behind them.