Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
7
↓
Does anyone have any updates on self driving cars? Are they getting close to having them in production? I feel like there hasn’t been much on the news recently about them. (self.Blind)
submitted by Blindonthemove
Rethunker 5 points 3y ago
For self-driving cars there are different levels of capability. I'll provide a link to two shorter articles first, then quote from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The following article describes six levels of autonomy, and also provides some reasons why higher levels of autonomy aren't available in the mainstream yet.
$1
The article concludes with a section entitled "So…dude, where’s my autonomous car?"
The following article presents some of the same info:
$1
And here's the NHTSA description of the levels of autonomy:
>Level 0: The human driver does all the driving.
>
>Level 1: An advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the vehicle can sometimes assist the human driver with either steering or braking/accelerating, but not both simultaneously.
>
>Level 2: An advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the vehicle can itself actually control both steering and braking/accelerating simultaneously under some circumstances. The human driver must continue to pay full attention (“monitor the driving environment”) at all times and perform the rest of the driving task.
>
>Level 3: An automated driving system (ADS) on the vehicle can itself perform all aspects of the driving task under some circumstances. In those circumstances, the human driver must be ready to take back control at any time when the ADS requests the human driver to do so. In all other circumstances, the human driver performs the driving task.
>
>Level 4: An automated driving system (ADS) on the vehicle can itself perform all driving tasks and monitor the driving environment – essentially, do all the driving – in certain circumstances. The human need not pay attention in those circumstances.
>
>Level 5: An automated driving system (ADS) on the vehicle can do all the driving in all circumstances. The human occupants are just passengers and need never be involved in driving.
That long quote is from this article:
$1
For anything less than full automation at Level 5 the driver would have to be qualified to drive.
The few Level 5 fully automated vehicles that I've read about tend to move more slowly and be engaged in tasks that aren't critical to safety, such as transporting goods rather than people.
The following article describes six levels of autonomy, and also provides some reasons why higher levels of autonomy aren't available in the mainstream yet.
$1
The article concludes with a section entitled "So…dude, where’s my autonomous car?"
The following article presents some of the same info:
$1
And here's the NHTSA description of the levels of autonomy:
>Level 0: The human driver does all the driving.
>
>Level 1: An advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the vehicle can sometimes assist the human driver with either steering or braking/accelerating, but not both simultaneously.
>
>Level 2: An advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) on the vehicle can itself actually control both steering and braking/accelerating simultaneously under some circumstances. The human driver must continue to pay full attention (“monitor the driving environment”) at all times and perform the rest of the driving task.
>
>Level 3: An automated driving system (ADS) on the vehicle can itself perform all aspects of the driving task under some circumstances. In those circumstances, the human driver must be ready to take back control at any time when the ADS requests the human driver to do so. In all other circumstances, the human driver performs the driving task.
>
>Level 4: An automated driving system (ADS) on the vehicle can itself perform all driving tasks and monitor the driving environment – essentially, do all the driving – in certain circumstances. The human need not pay attention in those circumstances.
>
>Level 5: An automated driving system (ADS) on the vehicle can do all the driving in all circumstances. The human occupants are just passengers and need never be involved in driving.
That long quote is from this article:
$1
For anything less than full automation at Level 5 the driver would have to be qualified to drive.
The few Level 5 fully automated vehicles that I've read about tend to move more slowly and be engaged in tasks that aren't critical to safety, such as transporting goods rather than people.
BenandGracie 3 points 3y ago
I think they still have a long way to go before they are ready for everyone. It turns out, it is hard to teach a computer to drive. I don't know if we will ever see them widely used.
RJHand 1 points 3y ago
God I hope not.
I never thought it was a good idea lol. Always freaked me out a bit.
I never thought it was a good idea lol. Always freaked me out a bit.
BenandGracie 2 points 3y ago
I had high hopes when they first startted talking about them, and then they built a few and problems kept poping up. From what I have read, computers can drive just fine, but when you put those computers on the road with people, problems occur. With all that in mind, I really hope I am wrong, and we see some one day, but I think we are many years from seeing them everywhere.
RJHand 1 points 3y ago
I honestly hope we don't. Because if something goes wrong and I'm alone in the car as someone who is completely blind I can't do shit to get it off the road say if the autopilot cuts out or something.
BenandGracie 1 points 3y ago
That is a very good point. I would be surprised if we see any in the next 10 years. I think the companies know it. I notice we haven't heard much about them lately. It seemed like they were going to to be the next big thing, but when problems started showing up, the news stopped talking about them entirely.
CloudyBeep 2 points 3y ago
Autonomous vehicles have been responsible for multiple deaths and even more close calls.
Many governments realize the potential they have for people with disabilities, but we would be the last group to get them because we wouldn't necessarily be able to respond to irregular events. For example, if an animal jumped in front of the vehicle, a sighted driver might be able to take control, or at least force the vehicle to stop, but most autonomous vehicles I've read about don't even have the technology to warn a blind person that there is an obstacle in the vehicle's path.
Many governments realize the potential they have for people with disabilities, but we would be the last group to get them because we wouldn't necessarily be able to respond to irregular events. For example, if an animal jumped in front of the vehicle, a sighted driver might be able to take control, or at least force the vehicle to stop, but most autonomous vehicles I've read about don't even have the technology to warn a blind person that there is an obstacle in the vehicle's path.
guitarandbooks 3 points 3y ago
While there have been deaths and close calls due to autonomous vehicles, there is risk with any new technology unfortunately. Things are never perfect right out of the gate.
That being said, look at the number of deaths and injuries caused by drunk drivers, drivers under the influence of other substances, drivers who fall asleep at the wheel, and drivers who hit people/pets and/or cause damage to property because they are texting while driving. In comparison, the self driving cars are already safer. The main issue is...people driving.
While Tesla and Google are making progress with this, who knows when it will be available to the public;and yes, sadly, visually impaired/blind people would probably be the last group of people who'd be able to own one.
I'd love the freedom and independence a self driving car would offer but I'm not holding my breath.
That being said, look at the number of deaths and injuries caused by drunk drivers, drivers under the influence of other substances, drivers who fall asleep at the wheel, and drivers who hit people/pets and/or cause damage to property because they are texting while driving. In comparison, the self driving cars are already safer. The main issue is...people driving.
While Tesla and Google are making progress with this, who knows when it will be available to the public;and yes, sadly, visually impaired/blind people would probably be the last group of people who'd be able to own one.
I'd love the freedom and independence a self driving car would offer but I'm not holding my breath.
dunktheball 2 points 3y ago
Well, they seemed to be making progress, at least, even a few years ago.
I keep forgetting about them, but now THAT would be so nice for people with low or no vision. That is the main thing I am trying to figure out now is how can I get places I want to go... public transportation scares me due to crime rates here and uber would get expensive. Although, then again, I'm sure uber is nothing compared to what costs would average out to for having top buy a car, pay for insurance, pay for gas. Hmm...
I keep forgetting about them, but now THAT would be so nice for people with low or no vision. That is the main thing I am trying to figure out now is how can I get places I want to go... public transportation scares me due to crime rates here and uber would get expensive. Although, then again, I'm sure uber is nothing compared to what costs would average out to for having top buy a car, pay for insurance, pay for gas. Hmm...
achromatic_03 1 points 3y ago
You know with our luck, even if they do have "self-driving" cars, there will be some legal thing that still requires a licensed driver in the car, ugh!
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.