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Google Will Become an AI Company

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Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#161

Post by chc »

nihilocrat wrote: post #145
chc wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should we be moving away from the car? You seem to take this as an a priori fact. I see no advantages to public transit aside from less energy waste, unless you just occasionally long for the scent of hobos. And urban planning is not a solution. It's shutting the barn doors after horses got out. Most urban areas have already been not only planned but fully executed and there isn't public will to tear the whole th…

Assuming we would have driverless cars, you don't have to worry about a gigantic shell of metal that is expensive, will break down at inopportune times, requires constant maintenance, copious parking space at any destination of your choosing, insurance, contributes to crappy air quality (thankfully reduced/solved by using electric power), and for which you have to spend hours shoveling snow if you are in a colder cli…

With regards to public transportation, all I know is, after five years trying to make do with it, I am never going back to that hell. It's only barely cheaper than owning a car, and the trips took 2–10 times as long. (The city where I work has property very close to the businesses, but that property is ridiculously expensive.)

Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#162

Post by runningdogx »

alextp wrote: post #3

What's the point of owning a driverless car? Apart from luxury/status, it should be far cheaper to rent one as you go, in the driverless cab fashion. Also, I can't help but cringe inside when people act as if the only benefit of living in the city is less commute time. As far as my life goes, I'd trade more commute time to live inside an urban centre with all the facilities at a walkable distance plus all the nice be…

Without a human driver, how will a cab company keep fares from trashing cabs? The issue of ensuring payment becomes a serious problem. Do you put credit card entry pads on the outside of the cab to prevent any of that? How long until someone superglues it?

With human drivers, there's a social norm to prevent misbehavior, and in extreme cases the driver can stop and insist that the passenger get out.

Even if the cab companies put human toll collectors in driverless cabs, although that could work, there would be less respect for cabbies who are not driving. I fear that bad behavior would still flourish.

Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#163

Post by alextp »

runningdogx wrote: post #162
alextp wrote: post #3

What's the point of owning a driverless car? Apart from luxury/status, it should be far cheaper to rent one as you go, in the driverless cab fashion. Also, I can't help but cringe inside when people act as if the only benefit of living in the city is less commute time. As far as my life goes, I'd trade more commute time to live inside an urban centre with all the facilities at a walkable distance plus all the nice be…

Without a human driver, how will a cab company keep fares from trashing cabs? The issue of ensuring payment becomes a serious problem. Do you put credit card entry pads on the outside of the cab to prevent any of that? How long until someone superglues it? With human drivers, there's a social norm to prevent misbehavior, and in extreme cases the driver can stop and insist that the passenger get out. Even if the cab c…

Cameras and computer vision? I think the same rules for public space apply.

Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#165

Post by rmc »

dagw wrote: post #87
nowarninglabel wrote: post #73

Did no one stop to think about this? It is extremely far-fetched at best. >safety regulations could be greatly relaxed. No, at least not if the author's vision of 200mph average speeds is to be taken. When a mistake or malfunction happens at that speed, safety mechanisms will be imperative. Furthermore, having a mechanical car does not prevent: someone else running into you, a deer running in front of the car, etc. >…

do you see parents sticking their 6 year olds on the subway just because they can? Maybe not 6, but certainly 8 year olds are quite capable of using public transport and happily do so in many parts of the world. I know I was taking the bus to the library when I was 8 or 9 and the train into town when I was 10, and that wasn't strange in the slightest.

I know I was taking the bus to the library when I was 8 or 9 and the train into town when I was 10, and that wasn't strange in the slightest.

Parental attitudes have changed since you were a child.

Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#166

Post by rmc »

derefr wrote: post #134
nowarninglabel wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Contrary to what you may think, I was being thoughtful of this but did not think it required rehashing. You however, exactly reiterate my point, you didn't do any due diligence, just put certainly in italics. How about some facts instead? Simply go to maps.google.com and search for Chicago, IL to New York, NY. Ok, 14 hours trip currently. Now, let's take a premise of 200 miles per hour. Now, tell me, can you travel 2…

Just want to point out, regarding gas mileage: If the cars have a dedicated lane, that lane can have a power line running through it. You're basically talking about personal light-rail at that point, for which going 200mph is a solved problem.

A power line? Like electric power? So all we need to do is switch to electric cars? How's that going?

Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#167

Post by rmc »

nihilocrat wrote: post #83

2. Children could own cars. Don’t feel like schlepping your kid to soccer practice? Just buy them a car 6. ... Make my car driverless (freeing me up to watch TV, read a book, catch up on emails, etc.) and able to travel at twice the speed, and spend the entire trip at top speed (rather than slowing down and speeding up on the highway) and I could feasibly live as far as 100 mph away. 7. Urbanization will reverse. Why…

But isn't most public transport essentially big cars? (i.e. busses)

As for 'clever urban planning', that's not possible without getting people used to living in smaller houses or on top of each other.

Re: Google Will Become an AI Company

#168

Post by nihilocrat »

chc wrote: post #161
nihilocrat wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Assuming we would have driverless cars, you don't have to worry about a gigantic shell of metal that is expensive, will break down at inopportune times, requires constant maintenance, copious parking space at any destination of your choosing, insurance, contributes to crappy air quality (thankfully reduced/solved by using electric power), and for which you have to spend hours shoveling snow if you are in a colder cli…

With regards to public transportation, all I know is, after five years trying to make do with it, I am never going back to that hell. It's only barely cheaper than owning a car, and the trips took 2–10 times as long. (The city where I work has property very close to the businesses, but that property is ridiculously expensive.)

Most US public transit is abysmal, particularly if it's bus-only. Spend some time in Europe.
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