Google Creating Driverless Cars

[Dichotomy]

Dicho, for the win.

might have won the thread but I'm banned from Hooters and they look at me strangely at Twin Peaks

[trax1]

Another point Melvin, just because a technology might take jobs away in one sector does that mean we shouldn't do it?  Look at the airplane, I'm sure that put a big hit on the trains and cruise ship industry, do you think that we shouldn't have used it to save those people their jobs?

[CAP1]

Well Trax, you make a good point. As long as human "system monitors" are still required.

Now, I pose this problem for you.

Imagine how many people in the insurance business would be out of work if it were determined that the odds of an "accident" on the roads was negligable.

I know, I know, nobody likes the insurance man. But, the fact is that it puts food on some people's table.

Basically, this tech would cost people's livelihoods.

As for the dumbing down of America.

How many of us can still read a compass?easy.

How many can find Polaris (Or the Southern Cross)?huh? i can't

How many can read a sextant? (I can't, wish I could.)i wish i could

Heck, how many can even read a map?too easy

It's OK, the computer will do that for us. For now.

<S> Melvin

"Botcar! Take me to the nearset bar (or church)!"

 the best parts of this technology, are the cars equipped with flir, and those with active? cruise control.

 i can see limited uses for a car to drive itself......like others have said.......to help disabled people. if a human monitor were required in the vehicle, then the auto drive setup would be useless when a drunk got in the car, 'cause everyone thinks they're invincible when they're drunk.

 we cannot, and should not continue making systems such as this to prevent these types of things. all this will do, will make people dumber, and they will do their stupid stuff in some other harmful way.
 accidents are NOT accidental. they are someone somewhere being negligent.

[Dichotomy]

How many can find Polaris (Or the Southern Cross)?huh? i can't

How many can read a sextant? (I can't, wish I could.)i wish i could

Google it?
 

[CAP1]

Google it?
 

polaris   
http://www.polarisindustries.com/default.aspx

i enjoy driving my 190hp dakota with the 5 speed. i enjoyed driving my 400hp mustang with the 5 speed. i will enjoy driving my 400hp fairmont. my buddy enjoys driving his 1200hp viper, and his 650hp gto.

[MiloMorai]

I would like to know what happens when there is a computer glitch with cars traveling at 100mph bumper to bumper and the driver has to turn around or wake up and grab the wheel.

I see mayhem.

[grizz441]

Well Trax, you make a good point. As long as human "system monitors" are still required.

Now, I pose this problem for you.

Imagine how many people in the insurance business would be out of work if it were determined that the odds of an "accident" on the roads was negligable.

I know, I know, nobody likes the insurance man. But, the fact is that it puts food on some people's table.

Too bad.  If a groundbreaking technology makes another one obsolete that's just too bad.  All the poor telegraph workers that went out of business when the telephone was invented.

[CAP1]

I would like to know what happens when there is a computer glitch with cars traveling at 100mph bumper to bumper and the driver has to turn around or wake up and grab the wheel.

I see mayhem.

computers are perfect. they never make mistakes. they do just what humans program them to do.

[trax1]

I would like to know what happens when there is a computer glitch with cars traveling at 100mph bumper to bumper and the driver has to turn around or wake up and grab the wheel.

I see mayhem.

I would imagine that before the government would ever allow a system of that type to be allowed on roads at those speeds they will have to have some kind of safety system & back up upon back up built in, but I'm sure there will still be accidents, but accidents happen all the time with a human driver.

[trax1]

i will enjoy driving my 400hp fairmont.

What year, my first car was an 83 Fairmont, I always wanted to drop a larger engine in it as it's the same body as the Mustang, the engine it comes with just seemed so tiny in there.  Originally mine was a maroon but I had it painted all black, I was worried about how it would look all black with the interior still all maroon, but it actually looked good. 

[CAP1]

What year, my first car was an 83 Fairmont, I always wanted to drop a larger engine in it as it's the same body as the Mustang, the engine it comes with just seemed so tiny in there.  Originally mine was a maroon but I had it painted all black, I was worried about how it would look all black with the interior still all maroon, but it actually looked good. 

that's exactly what i did. it's a 78 futura. i call it the old mans sporty car. 

the engine/tranny/rear/computer system is out of my wrecked 89 mustang gt. it ran 12.2's at 117mph, 100% street legal....and literally an every day driver. i used that car to and from work, to transport my r/c models to the flying field......everything.
 lady in a saturn whacked me head on. i had an 83 mustang body i could've dropped everythin into, but i just didn't want "just another" mustang.

 black exterior, with maroon interior, i can imagine looked REALLY good to be honest.

 when i get to the point of painting, she's gonna be black, with a cowl hood, and black/grey interior.

[Melvin]

On second thought.......

I'll have this tech in my 3/4 ton. I'll sit in the passenger seat (shotgun in my lap, beer in my hand, doors off).

I'll point the vehicle down the road, and then say, "Botcar, drive slowly."
When I see a grouse I'll say, "Botcar, stop."

I'll walk the required distance from my 3/4 ton before I shoot.

Then (after missing) I'll say, "Botcar, let's go.."     Me and Botcar will roll down the road.

Until.....

The DNR spots me, at which point I'll say, "BOTCAR! OUTRUN THE COPPERS!"
(I got the  hack for that.)

Botcar and I will flee to the nearest safe-house, and I'll slam a few beers while Bot runs a full diagnostic.

Oh wait, I haven't found a GPS that can map the roads I use.
            I haven't found a piece of equipment that I can't break.
           
Where will the parts for this project come from? Surely not from the USA, as we have a bad habit of shipping our jobs away.

The only jobs I see being produced from this project would be the road crews that are required to install the various peripherals needed to keep Botcar "on track".

Pipe dreams.

<S> Melvin

[grizz441]

The only jobs I see being produced from this project would be the road crews that are required to install the various peripherals needed to keep Botcar "on track".

Oh yes back to the 'jobs created' point. Good one.  We should probably also get rid of all mechanical soil extraction equipment also and just use the good old handy shovel.  It will create a lot of shovelin jobs.

[trax1]

that's exactly what i did. it's a 78 futura. i call it the old mans sporty car. 

the engine/tranny/rear/computer system is out of my wrecked 89 mustang gt. it ran 12.2's at 117mph, 100% street legal....and literally an every day driver. i used that car to and from work, to transport my r/c models to the flying field......everything.
 lady in a saturn whacked me head on. i had an 83 mustang body i could've dropped everythin into, but i just didn't want "just another" mustang.

 black exterior, with maroon interior, i can imagine looked REALLY good to be honest.

 when i get to the point of painting, she's gonna be black, with a cowl hood, and black/grey interior.

Do you have any pics of yours, I'd love to see it?

I had one hell of a time with mine when I tried to put in a CD player, all it had in it was an AM radio, took over 7 hrs to take it out and install, I had to take the whole front dash off and rewire the speakers, I put a pair of 6x9's in the back too since there were no speakers back there to begin with.

[CAP1]

Do you have any pics of yours, I'd love to see it?

I had one hell of a time with mine when I tried to put in a CD player, all it had in it was an AM radio, took over 7 hrs to take it out and install, I had to take the whole front dash off and rewire the speakers, I put a pair of 6x9's in the back too since there were no speakers back there to begin with.

this is the only pic i have of it right now......


the entire drivetrain came outof this.....


wiring in the computer control system was much easier than i had expected. it only took 7 wires from the EEC4 into the stock 78 wiring.

 for hvac, i installed the entire hvac box from the gt into the fairmont. the pedal assemblies were a direct bolt in while the dash was out. for the radio, i installed the stock 89 mustang premium sound system, complete with rear deck speakers, the 2 dash speakers, and although i haven't wired em yet, i installed the 2 door speakers too.
 i installed the mustang carpet, and front seats, but the 89 center console wouldn't match, so i used one from an 83 mustang. the rear seat will be re-upholstered to match the fronts, and i'm making a new headliner right now......and repainting all of the plastic trim either black, or the factory grey.
 i drove all the way up to hershey pa for a good dash pad($150 for the dam thing) and a nearly perfect rear bumper, along with those rear interior plastic trim pieces.
 i still have to handle the rust on the 1/4 panels, but that window sticker stays. 

 i haven't been able to find anything with a cowl for a fairmont that i like, so i'm gonna try to find a junkyard hood, and try to make my own cowl hood....i want to go 4" like the mustang was, and move my gauges out there.
 it's taking me forever, but if i ever get her on the road, it'll be worth it. i can start driving it tomorrow if i were to register it, but i don't wanna drive a partially complete car.....

 almost forgot. the engine install was crazy easy, as i simply swapped out the k-member, along with the entire front suspension, and steering. since they're both "fox" chassis, virutally everything was a bolt in.
 i was gonna cut the trunk to make a stock mustang fuel tank fit, but i wanted it to look like ford built this car with fi, so i had a stock fairmont tank modified to accept the stock type electric pump.