Does Phoenix have laws that make them more attractive for testing or just location preference?
The opposite -- Phoenix has less laws that make them more attractive for virtually everything.
Waymo Via
21–30 of 277 posts
Re: Waymo Via
#22Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most likely there are drivers still on board to monitor and drive first and last mile.
They just chill in the sleeper cab the whole way and then "pilot" the last mile?
I don't think any laws allow for fully autonomous. I believe they require someone to be there to take over at all times.
Re: Waymo Via
#23As a bike/ped advocate, I believe self-driving cars will ultimately be safer than humans. Yesterday I was nearly hit crossing street twice: once by an inattentive driver and once by an intentionally reckless speeder.
Oh the other hand, my brother has done a fair amount of truck driving and I'm aware it's a common job in the US.
Maybe now that Bloomberg has dropped out he get together with Yang and use his billions to start providing a basic income to displaced truck drivers?
Re: Waymo Via
#24Does Phoenix have laws that make them more attractive for testing or just location preference?
Arizona basically threw their citizens to the wolves with a 2015 self-driving car law that allowed anything and everything to go (you wouldn't even have to register your cars as self-driving for a period). This attracted tons of firms to test their cars in a lax regulatory environment but since the famous Uber death and a number of self-driving accidents, they have tightened the rules somewhat. I suspect they're still looser than average and there's some inertia from everyone setting up shop there originally.
From the original press release:
> "Part of what makes Arizona an ideal place for Uber and other companies to test autonomous vehicle technology is that there are no special permits or licensing required," the ADOT release said. "In Arizona, autonomous vehicles have the same registration requirements as any other vehicle, and nothing in state law prevents testing autonomous vehicles."
Article with latest updates: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/maricopa-county-sheriff...
Re: Waymo Via
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most likely there are drivers still on board to monitor and drive first and last mile.
They just chill in the sleeper cab the whole way and then "pilot" the last mile?
I'm getting flashes of youth, living as new nomads inside the self-driving truck they are leasing from a company.
I think the future I see is both dumb and terrifying.
Re: Waymo Via
#26Does Phoenix have laws that make them more attractive for testing or just location preference?
Well maintained roads. Easy access by engineering teams from California. Cheap local wages for test drivers.
Re: Waymo Via
#27Does a self-driving truck need a sleeper cab? Is the sleeper compartment filled with equipment?
Expect a transition with a human still onboard to last for a while.
Re: Waymo Via
#28As a bike/ped advocate, I believe self-driving cars will ultimately be safer than humans. Yesterday I was nearly hit crossing street twice: once by an inattentive driver and once by an intentionally reckless speeder. Oh the other hand, my brother has done a fair amount of truck driving and I'm aware it's a common job in the US. Maybe now that Bloomberg has dropped out he get together with Yang and use his billions to…
The idea that Bloomberg and Yang share any sort of common philosophy is laughable.
Re: Waymo Via
#29Does Phoenix have laws that make them more attractive for testing or just location preference?
Arizona basically threw their citizens to the wolves with a 2015 self-driving car law that allowed anything and everything to go (you wouldn't even have to register your cars as self-driving for a period). This attracted tons of firms to test their cars in a lax regulatory environment but since the famous Uber death and a number of self-driving accidents, they have tightened the rules somewhat. I suspect they're stil…
Thrown their citizens to the wolves and caused all of one death, and no other problems to speak of? Seems like they made a great call to me.
Re: Waymo Via
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most likely there are drivers still on board to monitor and drive first and last mile.
They just chill in the sleeper cab the whole way and then "pilot" the last mile?
Professional driving comes with hours limitations. In most industrialised countries you can't work more than so-and-so many hours driving without so-and-so many hours of rest (I don't know what the US rules are but I know they have them). But as just a passenger, aboard the truck but not driving it, you aren't using up those precious hours.
I can see this making sense where the driver also has some skilled role at both ends, e.g. supervising loading and unloading of a particular type of cargo. Otherwise it may be just as sensible to build giant truck parking lots at key locations on big highways and have a human board trucks when they get to the closest lot to the final destination. In that model all truck drivers would go home every day, which means it's a less well paid job but also one that's more compatible with having a life outside work - long distance trucking would become something trucks do but drivers don't.