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Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

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Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#21

Post by dandare »

imglorp wrote: post #18
sithadmin wrote: post #5

Detroit being the first to market here is possibly one of the worst things that can happen. The last thing that this area of tech needs is Detroit ruining its reputation before it even really kicks off. US auto manufacturers are worse than laggards when it comes to the electronic systems they embed in their vehicles -- things like Ford MyTouch are borderline hostile to the user, and Jeep has definitely demonstrated a…

It's an industry thing; even the Honda nav software I just got loaded on a brand new vehicle is user hostile. It's firmly 2005 tech and not a moment later. Their whole development process is glacial and hardware focused. A ten year feature cycle, between conception and release, seems normal. Tesla using actual software people is going to wipe their floor in this regard.

This is one think I don't understand. Dear automakers, it's 2015, please just leave a big hole in the middle of the front panel with USB-C connector and don't force your obsolete technology on me. Any half decent tablet with Android is vastly superior to whatever "computer" you designed into the car in 2007.

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#22

Post by akgerber »

zellyn wrote: post #3

I don't understand why everyone keeps pretending there's a smooth continuum: "He says they contain GM’s road map to autonomy, starting with “Driver in charge” in 2010, progressing to “Driver mostly in charge” this year, to “Car mostly in charge” in 2020, and finally “Car in charge” in 2025." That just doesn't make sense. To my mind, there's "cruise control" as it exists today, and "car drives itself completely and sa…

Detroit is a little more willing to build killing people into its business model.

Hence the 30,000+ death toll on the roads for the past century, their big push in the 1990s to replace lightweight cars with big heavy SUVs, and their present push to build big automated distraction screens into the middle of cars.

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#24

Post by kmkemp »

maxerickson wrote: post #14
Shivetya wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well with technology available as it is today I think Google is going to find building the car is more difficult than creating the technology. See its not just GM looking to do this, almost every make of components for cars is into this space so a solution is already in the pipe. however when it comes to delivering cars that people want; not what government agencies might be coerced into buying; google doesn't stand…

They could license the tech. Car manufacturing isn't really an exciting business to be in.

I fear the day that google has broken the political barriers and car manufacturers release different software that turns into headlines of automated car crashes. I sincerely hope that google's software is licensed at a reasonable rate such that every car manufacturer will use it.

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#25

Post by Someone1234 »

noja wrote: post #20
Someone1234 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is it still safe if "cruise control" adds speed matching, steering, lane changing, or braking? That ship sailed years ago. Even in the 2015 model year (mid-2014 release) all of those features are available. My car does speed matching, minor steering to keep you in the lane (at highway speeds), and auto-braking (both for auto cruise control and for collision avoidance). It works fine.

and on your car, if it does any of those things wrong, and you don't correct it (because you are paying less attention, and reacting quick enough would be an impossibility), who is to blame?

Legally me. But I suppose I could sue the manufacturer.

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#26

Post by magic5227 »

This is funny "starting with “Driver in charge” in 2010, progressing to “Driver mostly in charge” this year, to “Car mostly in charge” in 2020, anded,. finally “Car in charge” in 2025."

Given what Google has already demonstrated, its more likely we will see fully autonomous within 5 years. I'm betting less than that in a few test cities.

So probably too late already for "Detroit"

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#27

Post by ghaff »

noja wrote: post #20
Someone1234 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is it still safe if "cruise control" adds speed matching, steering, lane changing, or braking? That ship sailed years ago. Even in the 2015 model year (mid-2014 release) all of those features are available. My car does speed matching, minor steering to keep you in the lane (at highway speeds), and auto-braking (both for auto cruise control and for collision avoidance). It works fine.

and on your car, if it does any of those things wrong, and you don't correct it (because you are paying less attention, and reacting quick enough would be an impossibility), who is to blame?

We're rapidly heading toward this very "interesting" time where cars will have (indeed, some high-end cars are very close today) assistive systems, especially for highway driving, that really don't require drivers to pay much attention. It is absolutely guaranteed that people will start reading books and watching movies when they're nominally driving even though they're legally responsible.

The manufacturers will fall back on the "these are only assistive systems." It says so in bold type in the user manual.

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#28

Post by mdorazio »

dandare wrote: post #21
imglorp wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's an industry thing; even the Honda nav software I just got loaded on a brand new vehicle is user hostile. It's firmly 2005 tech and not a moment later. Their whole development process is glacial and hardware focused. A ten year feature cycle, between conception and release, seems normal. Tesla using actual software people is going to wipe their floor in this regard.

This is one think I don't understand. Dear automakers, it's 2015, please just leave a big hole in the middle of the front panel with USB-C connector and don't force your obsolete technology on me. Any half decent tablet with Android is vastly superior to whatever "computer" you designed into the car in 2007.

It's complicated by two factors: 1) The head unit controls far more than maps and entertainment; it's also wired into climate controls, seat positioning, etc. that require direct access to other vehicle hardware. 2) Head units and associated services are a profit center for OEMs. Switching to a "bring your own tablet" model would cost them a fair amount of profit.

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#29

Post by abcanthur »

As we're talking about two+ major players competing to outfit the auto fleet with self-driving software, I'd like to hear discussion of the pros and cons of vehicles sharing software. Technically, economically, and especially regarding driving dynamics.

Will a Google car be able to caravan with a GM car? Is a single hive mind able to produce better energy/travel time results than the multiple hive mind of Google/gm/tesla/toyota/+100m humans?

Re: Can Detroit Beat Google to the Self-Driving Car?

#30

Post by SimonPStevens »

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