Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 144 posts

Re: Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

#11

Post by bitwize »

This isn't even the most elaborate market-research stunt I've seen.

Some of you older folk may remember an 80s sitcom called Small Wonder, which was a typical American suburbia family sitcom, except the youngest daughter, Vicki, was a robot. What I found unusual about the show was its copyright message: "©1987 The Small Wonder Joint Venture". In later years I found out that the show was produced in part for market research purposes, to solicit feedback about how Americans might feel about robots in the home -- especially robots that look and behave like humans. It was the 80s and we all thought that was coming Real Soon Now.

Re: Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

#12

Post by jasonmaydie »

josefresco wrote: post #5

"they just needed people to believe wholeheartedly they were using one." Don't they mean "seeing one" instead of "using one"? Or am I missing something? "fill in gaps where we currently communicate via subtle gestures, eye contact and other less obvious mechanisms." This also struck me as odd - do pedestrians and other drivers really make "eye contact" with drivers to gauge their intention? I guess it's possible, but…

This was actually in the news about a mysterious van with a driver pretending to be self driving.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/7/16109378/driverless-van-ar...

Re: Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

#15

Post by jvolkman »

josefresco wrote: post #5

"they just needed people to believe wholeheartedly they were using one." Don't they mean "seeing one" instead of "using one"? Or am I missing something? "fill in gaps where we currently communicate via subtle gestures, eye contact and other less obvious mechanisms." This also struck me as odd - do pedestrians and other drivers really make "eye contact" with drivers to gauge their intention? I guess it's possible, but…

Pedestrians often do. For example, I'd want to make eye contact with a driver of a car attempting to make an unprotected left turn (and not looking in my direction) prior to crossing in front of it.

Re: Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

#16

Post by uxp100 »

josefresco wrote: post #5

"they just needed people to believe wholeheartedly they were using one." Don't they mean "seeing one" instead of "using one"? Or am I missing something? "fill in gaps where we currently communicate via subtle gestures, eye contact and other less obvious mechanisms." This also struck me as odd - do pedestrians and other drivers really make "eye contact" with drivers to gauge their intention? I guess it's possible, but…

> do pedestrians [...] really make "eye contact" with drivers to gauge their intention?

Yes. Consciously, at every vehicle at an intersection, to make sure they aren't going to run me over. Same on a bike.

Other drivers? IDK, its harder through 2 windshields.

Re: Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

#17

Post by daveguy »

michaelbuckbee wrote: post #8

It sounds goofy, but this strikes me as really clever. Compared to almost anything else with self driving cars adding a few indicators to outwardly show what it's going to do next (for pedestrians and other drivers) is a huge win. There is a fair amount of waving for someone else to go first at a turn, seeing if a driver is distracted (on their phone) at a stop, making eye contact while using a cross walk etc that ge…

Or this drive thru prank a year earlier:

https://youtu.be/xVrJ8DxECbg

I'm sure it had probably been done before that too. :)

Even better when you "put a robot in the driver's seat":

https://youtu.be/CdggQr05LAA

Re: Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving

#19

Post by supernumerary »

mrspeaker wrote: post #13
ProAm wrote: post #3

So they re-did a prank from 2013 but for science [1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVrJ8DxECbg

The ol' car-seat-suit trick! That's how KITT from Knight Rider did it in 1982 as well! https://www.moviemistakes.com/entry91522

Disguising yourself as a car seat also features in this episode of 'Sherlock', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Thatchers
Post reply on HN