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Ford and Google Team Up to Support Driverless Cars


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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/business/ford-and-google-team-up-tosupport-driverless-cars.html?_r=0

 

 

By BILL VLASIC

APRIL 27, 2016

DETROIT — In an unusual alliance between a traditional automaker and a technology company, Ford Motor and Google on Wednesday joined to lead a coalition of companies that advocate federal approval of driverless cars in the near future.

By teaming up to promote regulations that favor fully-autonomous vehicles, Ford and Google may be moving toward closer cooperation on the actual development of driverless models.

Ford’s chief executive, Mark Fields, has said in recent months that his company is evaluating potential partnerships with other firms on autonomous vehicles, but has not made any formal moves in that direction.

Still, by forming a public policy coalition that includes Google, Ford is aligning with Silicon Valley’s most prominent supporter of cars that can operate without a driver.

The group, which calls itself the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, presented testimony on Wednesday at a hearing on aut

 

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I cannot wait for this to become a reality. My Honda CRV has autonomous functions (stay in lane with ACC - let the car drive itself in the lane for a minute or so at a time). Tesla has it.

I totally agree but for different reasons. Driving has become so torturous, frustrating and annoying it is unbelievable. Most of the people on the road have absolutely no thought in their head about courtesy or how their actions effect anyone else. People are either oblivious, horrible drivers or wasted on prescription drugs. No one gets to the left or right to make a turn or has any problem with pulling right out in front of you and poking under the speed limit (even when there is no one behind you for miles). Don't even get me started on driving slow in the fast lane and refusing to move over. Then there is the cell phone issue which is a whole long rant in itself.

 

Let the cars drive and leave the uninterested or unable to do what they please without effecting those of us who want to enjoy driving without the contamination of their disinterested, distracted or unskilled driving.

 

This will also help with the horrible scourge of drunk driving which our government is unable or unwilling to do anything about.

 

So I say bring on the self-driving cars as quickly as possible. I long for the return of an enjoyable driving experience.

 

End rant!

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Look at all the predictions of car market since 1970-80. How many came true?

 

Maybe in 30 some years, but not "next year or so" will driverless cars be "accessible" by middle classes.

 

It won't be next year, but it won't be 30 years either.

 

MOST of the tech necessary for self-driving cars is already here - Radar cruise control, blind spot sensors, auto emergency braking, lane keeping, auto lights (both on/off and high beam), 360 degree sensing... The hard part, the one percent, is the decision making logic. Things that a human will do in a particular circumstance that defy what can be programmed into an AI logic. In most other areas, the 80 / 20 rule may apply i.e you work to cover 80% of circumstances, but in this use case they simply cannot do that. They need closer to 99.9999% (there will ALWAYS be exceptions). I give it 10 years tops and they will be able to.

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