Can’t speak for Waymo, but took a Cruise starting in the Tenderloin the other evening. Most people complain about these cars obstructing traffic in some type of way, but not much discussion about rider experience. First, these cars are susceptible to harassment by malicious pedestrians (someone walking around and bumping the car), halting operation. Second, surprisingly, the cars do not always stop for pickup at the specified location (they can get stuck before making a final turn due to an obstruction and still be obstructed when attempting to depart). This doesn’t deter me from using these cars, but some things the service should consider and riders should be aware of when picking routes.
NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
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Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#72As a programmer, I won't put myself into that thing. I'm also not happy to be an unwilling participant in this experiment. Given the state of technology and our capabilities to write bug-free software (Seriously, we can't even get things like buying airline tickets correct), I think it's way too early to approve those vehicles on city streets.
I ride a motorcycle. I'll trust a machine to check its mirrors. I won't trust a person. I'll ride ten miles and see twenty people on their phones, holding a cup of coffee, turning around to look at their kids, whatever. I get cut off by people who don't look both ways. I get cut off by people who do look both ways and think they will be out of my way before I get close to them. I get cut off by people making turns that aren't in a lane that allows turns.
I'm not afraid of self driving cars because I know that even if they're not perfect, they will still be far better than the overwhelming majority of drivers on the road.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's significantly more absurd to permit highly distractable, slow-reacting meatbags to operate the multi-ton high-velocity death barges in the close vicinity of pedestrians and other meatbags-cum-death-barge-pilots.
Sure yet a human driver is not a device that can be hacked and then used as a weapon or weapons.
Yeah it's a good thing that cities aren't filled with retail locations that sell liquids that, if ingested, turn humans into bad drivers that think they're great drivers. And it's a good thing that those hypothetical liquids don't form debilitating addictions that make the humans want them more.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a ride in a car, it's boring, even if it's driven by GPS and Lidar.
It's a kind of Rube Goldberg contraption for getting around town..... The most complex gizmo possible for the most mundane of tasks.
In a city as hilly as sf getting around in an electric car is a real benefit that saves a great deal of effort. I’d rather have core bus lines that run on 2-3 minute headways instead, but I’ll take what I can get.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#75A concept I look forward to is not just a driverless car, but driverless "various size vehicles" from a 1-person car to a 100-person bus. In this future we could get the advantages of public transport and car-free living into rural and suburban areas, while in the city these systems could adjust and use AI to find optimal routes that are a lot less slower than current buses (or even trains that require 2 or 3 connect…
I just want a driverless RV that will drive me between all the National Parks in the US while I work remotely from the back via a Starlink dish mounted to the roof.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#76> My ride was so smooth, the novelty began to wear off, turning a trip to the future into just another journey across town. This is the only nod in the article to how futuristic and revelatory this innovation. The journalists sound so bored. I wonder if this is a function of how “around the corner” this tech has felt for so long? Have we somehow become jaded to this innovation before it has even arrived? Were journal…
There's a term for this, or at least it's a known phenomena in the AI industry for a while. It's how AI becomes transparent after wide adoption. I'm still amazed at video filters that transform your face in real time, and that is now a common feature in so many apps that most people might not consider AI.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#77> The Waymo rides were affordable, ranging from $18 to $21 Goes to show you what world these journalists are living on that think that's totally acceptable for a five mile ride. I'll stick with public transit.
Public transit is cheap if your time is not worth much
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#78> The Waymo rides were affordable, ranging from $18 to $21 Goes to show you what world these journalists are living on that think that's totally acceptable for a five mile ride. I'll stick with public transit.
As an example, riding public transit from Marina Green to Beach Chalet takes 1 hour in Muni: https://goo.gl/maps/8mPmP8ZsC61c2CL5A and involves a change of buses. Is it worth it to spend $20 and do it in 1/3 the time in a clean and safe setting? To many, yes.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#79A concept I look forward to is not just a driverless car, but driverless "various size vehicles" from a 1-person car to a 100-person bus. In this future we could get the advantages of public transport and car-free living into rural and suburban areas, while in the city these systems could adjust and use AI to find optimal routes that are a lot less slower than current buses (or even trains that require 2 or 3 connect…
I just want a driverless RV that will drive me between all the National Parks in the US while I work remotely from the back via a Starlink dish mounted to the roof.
What a dream that would be for myself as well. Electric too so I can charge it up at night and then essentially get free travel during the day even if it only 100-300 miles a day.
Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF
#80A concept I look forward to is not just a driverless car, but driverless "various size vehicles" from a 1-person car to a 100-person bus. In this future we could get the advantages of public transport and car-free living into rural and suburban areas, while in the city these systems could adjust and use AI to find optimal routes that are a lot less slower than current buses (or even trains that require 2 or 3 connect…
I just want a driverless RV that will drive me between all the National Parks in the US while I work remotely from the back via a Starlink dish mounted to the roof.
The solution to homelessness too! No need to find a parking spot. Just drive all night. Could it drive very slowly and charge the batteries using solar? Hmmm