Honda's $20k Civic LX now offers self-driving capability for highway use

Post by mason240 » Mon, Mar 14, 2016, 9:01 PM UTC

nostromo wrote: post #6

stcredzero wrote: post #2

In the early 2000's, I was hanging out sometimes in western North Carolina, and there was this young woman who has in the habit of getting together with some friends and driving around the clock to get to Colorado and back on short trips, instead of flying. I'm wondering if this technology isn't going to be used for such purposes.

If I could get in my car, read a bit and fall asleep, and wake up in Las Vegas from San Francisco, I'd prefer it over flying every time. But this has more to do with how air travel has become miserable than anything else.

Post by osteele » Mon, Mar 14, 2016, 9:03 PM UTC

mikeash wrote: post #134

MBCook wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got the same car and you're dead on. I really wanted the automatic cruise control but the truth is it's a hassle in the city on the highway. I don't want to constantly adjust the distance between the car in front of me and my car as conditions change so I end up just managing it myself without cruise control or setting it 'classic' mode where it doesn't use the radar. That said shortly after I bought the car I d…

That's sad that it doesn't handle heavy traffic well. That should be where it does best . Tesla's system, for example, is nice on the open road but absolutely wonderful in heavy traffic. Too bad about not handling full stops, too. I wonder if that's a technical limitation, or if it's just something they didn't want to allow.

Post by noir_lord » Mon, Mar 14, 2016, 9:08 PM UTC

jmiserez wrote: post #144

lbenes wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Language is organic and constantly changing. I used to insist on calling my drone, a remote controlled quadcopter, as drones were those autonomous military vehicles dropping bombs on weddings in the Middle East. But everyone now from the news to the FAA calls my little RC toy, a drone. Sure, it bothers me to watch words like self-driving and hoverboard lose their meaning. If someone as influential as Obama can't prot…

Don't forget "hacker": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(term)#Hacker_definitio...

Post by osteele » Mon, Mar 14, 2016, 9:11 PM UTC

akama wrote: post #46

ben1040 wrote: post #27

This looks like the "Sensing" feature that Honda has implemented on some of their other vehicles. I just bought a 2016 Accord that does the same thing -- there's a camera mounted on the windshield, another camera in the front grille, and a radar sensor on the front bumper. Calling it "self-driving" is kind of a misnomer and I think the article kind of blows it out of proportion. It will track the car in front of you…

I would guess you are correct about how they make sure your hands are on the wheel. I've done some car hacking and one of the things that surprised me was how sensitive some cars steering wheels are to pressure. It was impossible to keep it in the same position according to the car's internal electronic systems with my hands on it. This is car is 4 years old, so it's probably only gotten more sensitive.

Post by superuser2 » Mon, Mar 14, 2016, 9:13 PM UTC

kazinator wrote: post #159

superuser2 wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is fucking ridiculous. Surely all drivers have to change lanes at some point to get where they're going; why do they all actively attempt to thwart other drivers from getting into the lanes they need?

That's the competitive reality of driving in congested, urban areas. Drivers who cut in can save a lot of time over the course of a commute. They disrupt traffic flows and delay everyone else. So efficient traffic flows have to be defended. > Surely all drivers have to change lanes at some point to get where they're going; Yes, and some drivers like, for instance, to pass around 25 other cars who are making the same…