Live data from Hacker News

Self-Driving Cars Can Handle Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow

bloomberg.com

1–10 of 340 posts

Re: Self-Driving Cars Can Handle Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow

#7
post #3

Humans can barely handle these conditions!

The problem here, is that you are half-right. Its localized conditions. No country, much less worldwide, system can account for local anomolies.

Where I learned to drive, most humans could 'see' black ice by predicting where water will pool, the recent weather, and subtle clues that abound, but are not easily expressable. Any out-of-town'er would surely be spun out or driving 10mph, white-knuckled, aghast at the "maniacs" flying by at normal speeds. While in my college city, I had to relearn everything, as it was rainy, and the drivers hyper agressive, and 15mph faster. The same model would struggle to encompass both modalities.

Until AEB stops accidentally triggering constantly on colleagues cars, I have zero interest in trusting my life to an algo connected to a 300hp steel cage.

Re: Self-Driving Cars Can Handle Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow

#8
post #4

Neither can most humans driving cars.

That is clearly not the case.

That clearly is the case, it was my experience growing up that even seasoned New England drivers couldn't take the weather seriously and ended up in a ditch on the side of the road.

Re: Self-Driving Cars Can Handle Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Snow

#9
post #3

Humans can barely handle these conditions!

The problem here, is that you are half-right. Its localized conditions. No country, much less worldwide, system can account for local anomolies. Where I learned to drive, most humans could 'see' black ice by predicting where water will pool, the recent weather, and subtle clues that abound, but are not easily expressable. Any out-of-town'er would surely be spun out or driving 10mph, white-knuckled, aghast at the "man…

I've often wondered how much of this is hubris or fear vs. physics. What I mean is - are people in say, icy and snowy climates actually better drivers, able to adjust to the conditions, or are they fooling themselves? Likewise, the person going exceptionally slow and cautiously - are they misjudging the actual risk of inclement weather, relative to an actual scientific judgement?

It certainly feels like humans become improved drivers through various weather / road condition experiences, but I sometimes find myself wondering whether my gut instincts would align with a scientific approach.

Post reply on HN