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Driverless Cars - the future?

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jon0844

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Zoe, I have no idea why you've been asked so many times if you have a licence - so I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a prediction. Please do correct me if I'm wrong.

You did pass your test, but only after many attempts and have since had an accident or received points that has resulted in you being banned. As such you can't drive, or afford the hefty insurance to get back on the road. Being too ashamed, you just dodge the question over and over - but have a real desire to see these driverless cars as soon as possible to save you having to get lifts, take the bus or use taxis.

It's only my opinion, but until you answer the question I think everyone can go along with it? Am I wrong?
 
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Zoe

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The fact is that the topic of discussion is driverless cars in general, what an individual person may or may not do has no relevance here.
 

jon0844

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To begin with, they'll be cars that have aids to allow a driver to do a LOT less - but they'll still need a driver, with a licence, and with insurance.

So, until we get those Johnny Cabs, I guess you won't be able to use them.
 

Zoe

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To begin with, they'll be cars that have aids to allow a driver to do a LOT less - but they'll still need a driver, with a licence, and with insurance.
That would basically just be driver assistance though rather than full driverless operation.
 

jon0844

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Yes and that's all we're likely to have for many, many years.

How far has car tech gone in the last ten, twenty or even thirty years? Driverless vehicles and all the infrastructure and investment (plus legislation to remove ordinary cars) simply ain't gonna happen in the next ten. Fact.
 

GB

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The fact is that the topic of discussion is driverless cars in general, what an individual person may or may not do has no relevance here.

I don't know why your finding it so hard to answer such a simple question.

I drive, have done for about 11 years and use the car to get to work at all times of the day (usually when public transport is not available). Not a difficult one to answer is it.
 

Zoe

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What someone may or may not do personally or even how good they are has no relevance to if driverless cars will be introduced. They will be introduced regardless of how good human drivers are, there are clear safety benefits here.
 

AlterEgo

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If you don't drive a car Zoe, you're less qualified to start bandying around solutions to driving issues than people who do drive.

It's why sport has ex-professionals as pundits. Experience and all that.

Mind you, this whole discussion has been very amusing.
 

Zoe

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It makes no difference, at the end of the day humans make mistakes and the consequences of these can be very serious. Anything that can be done to reduce this will help and driverless cars provide an opportunity for large improvements in safety.
 
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90019

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Driverless cars will be controlled by computers, not by human drivers. It's quite clear that safety could be improved by driverless cars and you certainly don't need a driving licence to realize that.

So you don't have one then.


That was a very quick edit on that one. Bit of a slip of the tongue, eh?
 

SS4

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Driverless cars will be controlled by computers, not by human drivers. I don't think many people would doubt that safety should be improved, road safety doesn't just affect cars.

Nor do you need one to foresee the congestion. Driverless cars will require a driver for a long time for the same reason ATO lines have a driver - in case of emergency.
 

Zoe

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So you don't have one then.


That was a very quick edit on that one. Bit of a slip of the tongue, eh?
No, the edit was done to completely rephase the post, which was done twice. It is true that you don't need a driving licence to realize how safety could be improved. I did not say anything about myself, only in general as the post above implies that anyone that does not have a driving licence is not qualified to talk about the issue but this is not the case.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Nor do you need one to foresee the congestion. Driverless cars will require a driver for a long time for the same reason ATO lines have a driver - in case of emergency.
Congestion could be less than now though as an automated system would be able to run cars closer together at higher speeds.
 
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90019

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No, it was not a slip, the edit was done to completely rephase the post, which was done twice. It is true that you don't need a driving licence to realize how safety could be improved. I did not say anything about myself, only in general.

rofl.gif


Preview is your friend. ;)


That's more than enough to confirm to me that you don't have a licence.
 

Zoe

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That's more than enough to confirm to me that you don't have a licence.
That was not what the post was saying. The post was in response to the statement that if you don't have a driving licence you are not qualified to talk about the subject. There are many people reading this thread and these people may or may not have driving licences but this doesn't affect the ability of these people to contribute to the subject.
 

90019

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That was not what the post was saying. The post was in response to the statement that if you don't have a driving licence you are not qualified to talk about the subject. There are many people reading this thread and these people may or may not have driving licences.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
 

Zoe

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Would you like a bigger spade?
No I would not, you are implying from my post something which I did not state. I have clarified exactly what I was stating in that post.
 

Zoe

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The benefits of improved safety should be obvious to most people regardless of if they have a licence. You do not need a licence to be able to understand these safety benefits so if somoene has a licence or not is not relevant here. It would even be possible to work on the team developing the technology without having a driving licence.
 
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SS4

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No you don't need a licence but it's hardly unfair to suggest that in most cases those who hold a licence will know more about practicalities than those without (FWIW I do not have a licence)
 

Zoe

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No you don't need a licence but it's hardly unfair to suggest that in most cases those who hold a licence will know more about practicalities than those without (FWIW I do not have a licence)
The post in question stated that if you don't drive then you are less qualified to suggest solutions to driving issues. A driving licence is a licence to drive a vehicle, it is not a qualification in how the use of computer control could improve safety and there is very little doubt that it would. For example a driverless car could know the position of other driverless cars in the immediate area even if it can't see them and could know what they are going to be doing.
 
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S19

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Zoe, you might not actually believe it, but guess what? Computers fail too!

If computers were the be all and end all of everything, eliminating andy safety issues, why does a nuclear power station employ hundreds of highly skilled personnel when they could simply have a computer control everything?

I guess I best start looking for a new job!

Driverless cars can do one. I love going out and being at one with a vehicle, especially a very fast one.
 

jon0844

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How about a new thread called "Does Zoe have a driving licence?"

I am sure the only reason for her not answering here is to keep the thread on topic. Create a new one and she can finally answer once and for all, without being told off by the moderators.
 

GB

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The benefits of improved safety should be obvious to most people regardless of if they have a licence. You do not need a licence to be able to understand these safety benefits so if somoene has a licence or not is not relevant here. It would even be possible to work on the team developing the technology without having a driving licence.

Your failure to understand why people actual have their own cars is the reason so many are asking if you actually drive.

Again with the safety benefits. Looks great on paper and under controlled environments and slow speed but that is it. Nothing else has been proved or tested so how can you categorically state it will be so much better? Maybe safety will be improved, but at what cost? Substantial increase in travel times and a much lower speed limit?
 

S19

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If any of you have access to the Viz Profanisaurus, look up 'Zoes' - the definition links in well with these ideas :)
 

jon0844

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Zoe's vision of the future can only work with there being no manually driven cars at all, or buses, or lorries.

No amount of technology will make that happen without a big fight, and to ever work it needs everyone to be behind such an idea.
 

S19

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Zoe's vision of the future can only work with there being no manually driven cars at all, or buses, or lorries.

No amount of technology will make that happen without a big fight, and to ever work it needs everyone to be behind such an idea.

It'll never happen in my lifetime.
 
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