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Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

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Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#11

Post by mathieuruellan »

witty_username wrote: post #3

The real question is whether Google's self-driving car is better (it doesn't have to be perfect) than humans in heavy rain (humans also have difficulties in heavy rain).

Sensors and cameras can't really see something, but the eye and the brain of a human can guess, all senses are at 100% (humans are tired after driving in such conditions). Making an IA which can have the same performance/evaluation must be really tricky

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#12

Post by amirmc »

anthony_franco wrote: post #2

“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.” I guess this means we're moving into the 'ridicule' phase.

Where in the article is it being ridiculed? I read it as a dose of reality, which useful to provide some perspective on the challenges that remain (that many people are probably not even aware of).

The original article might be of interest.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530276/hidden-obstacles...

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#13

Post by justincormack »

siliconc0w wrote: post #9

Even if it can't it still can be incredibly valuable in a lot of climates where it operates well most of the time(ie most of California at this point). Most people don't travel very far and where they do is probably well mapped. Google could solve a small percentage of the problem and still win.

It makes the cars worth less, if people were going to purchase rather than rent them, if they cannot be used for all journeys. If they are going to be rental only it matters less.

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#14

Post by amirmc »

siliconc0w wrote: post #9

Even if it can't it still can be incredibly valuable in a lot of climates where it operates well most of the time(ie most of California at this point). Most people don't travel very far and where they do is probably well mapped. Google could solve a small percentage of the problem and still win.

From the source: "Data from multiple passes by a special sensor vehicle must later be pored over, meter by meter, by both computers and humans. It’s vastly more effort than what’s needed for Google Maps."

In other words, the mapping required is very specific and doesn't exist. Current maps don't help.

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#15

Post by julianpye »

The key question is what competitors have as technology. I don't know about the Japanese manufacturers, but in Germany Audi and VW have been heavily working on self-driving and assistive technology for the last decade and only incorporated communication technology at a later point (I was working at Vodafone R&D then and our team participated in joint tests starting six years ago). It is safe to assume that Google's approach was comms and data-first, car-physics secondary, while the manufacturers approach is the other way round with a focus on mechanics and physics.

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#16

Post by jfoster »

melling wrote: post #6
witty_username wrote: post #3

The real question is whether Google's self-driving car is better (it doesn't have to be perfect) than humans in heavy rain (humans also have difficulties in heavy rain).

No, the real question is can it drive in heavy rain. I've seen humans do it.

When humans do it, are they just taking a risk that the autonomous car could take, but won't?

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#17

Post by bestnameever »

witty_username wrote: post #3

The real question is whether Google's self-driving car is better (it doesn't have to be perfect) than humans in heavy rain (humans also have difficulties in heavy rain).

That was an argument made in the "Humans need not apply" video.

The question I care about is whether Google's self-driving car is better than me in heavy rain.

Not all humans drive equally. I think Google's self driving car might be better for some people more than it is for others.

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#19

Post by jfim »

melling wrote: post #6
witty_username wrote: post #3

The real question is whether Google's self-driving car is better (it doesn't have to be perfect) than humans in heavy rain (humans also have difficulties in heavy rain).

No, the real question is can it drive in heavy rain. I've seen humans do it.

It really depends what is meant by heavy rain. Heavy enough rain, snow or fog has zero visibility (significantly less than 100m), in which the only option is to stop the car on the shoulder and wait until the weather conditions improve.

Re: Google's Self-Driving Car Can't Navigate Heavy Rain or Most Roads

#20

Post by DanBC »

melling wrote: post #5

Would it be possible for someone to just address the complaints in the article? "While Google's fleet has safely driven more than 700,000 miles, the autonomous model relies so heavily on maps and detailed data that it can't yet drive itself in 99 percent of the country, according to an MIT Technology Review report."

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/530276/hidden-obstacles...

> Google often leaves the impression that, as a Google executive once wrote, the cars can “drive anywhere a car can legally drive.” However, that’s true only if intricate preparations have been made beforehand, with the car’s exact route, including driveways, extensively mapped. Data from multiple passes by a special sensor vehicle must later be pored over, meter by meter, by both computers and humans. It’s vastly more effort than what’s needed for Google Maps.

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