Washington governor Jay Inslee signed an order Wednesday that could allow self-driving car tests to begin in the state in just under two months and without a human monitoring from the driver's seat, his office announced in a blog post the same day.
The order gives self-driving car companies the ability to send applications to the state's Department of Licensing for self-driving car pilot program tests on public roads. In the governor's blog post and in the official order, it states that around 94 percent of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by driver error, and officials believe the use of autonomous cars could have a powerful impact on that.
Additionally, the governor's order brings a handful of state agencies together that will work with the approved self-driving companies and craft future legislation based on the upcoming trials.
Inslee showed that has pretty much absolute trust in the tech when compared to the capabilities of human drivers, according to a statement obtained by The Seattle Times.
“One thing I know about radar, it doesn’t drive drunk, it doesn’t drive distracted,” Inslee said, according to The Seattle Times. “We humans are really good at a lot of things, driving cars isn’t necessarily one of them compared to the automated processes that are digital and foolproof. I just have huge confidence in the safety aspects of this.”
Autonomous automobiles is one of my favorite things to cover outside politics and religion, probably because it is both terrifying and awesome at the same time.
It is also inevitable.
Just like fear of drowning did not keep us land bound, and fear of flying did not stop the airline industry, our fear of giving up control to machines will not stop the coming of autonomous automobiles.
We already rely on machines to remember our phone numbers, fly our planes, and answer all of our questions, so how is this really any different?
I for one can hardly wait to let Google take the wheel and allow me to sit back and enjoy the ride.
If this continues the next generations will be total numb brains. It is gross. Most of us will be dust in the wind when this numb brain society will be in force. Let us hope the trend is just a fad in history. Read a book, write a letter, talk directly to someone, real life real living matters.
ReplyDeleteHear Hear!
DeleteAgree.
Delete"94 percent of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by driver error," says report.
How many crashes will SOON be caused by dumb brains rubbernecking to see a car without a driver?
Totally stupid idea.
The old farts have been saying exactly this since the beginning of time.
DeleteOld people jealous of the young. Sad.
How's your horse and buggy doing, 4:07? And shouldn't you be in bed? I mean candles are so costly and surely you haven't gone to those newfangled gasjets yet! Let alone eeelectricity! I'd have called to discuss this with you, but you surely don't have one of those Bell inventions that deprives humans of face to face conversation?
DeleteWanna screw with a millennial, make them drive an auto with a manual transmission. You'd think the world came to an end.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is a millenial. I taught her to drive on a stick, she likes driving a stick, and her brothers wish they could drive a stick.
DeleteOn the other hand, very few cars are manufactured with a manual transmission any more.
Time moves on. Some advances are great and others will not catch on.
When the daughter of a friend of mine failed her kindergarten readiness test in the mid 80s, mom told the school, "Okay, she can't skip up and down steps (single story house) or tie shoe laces (velcro). She can't churn butter either, but she can work the vcr." (She did get into school.)
Cars with manual transmissions don't get stolen!
DeleteNice millennial bashing, @507.
DeleteGrowing up on a farm and working in the plant nursery business, I had to learn to drive a stick, as that was what most of the work trucks and other equipment were.
I consider it a good skill to have.
Also, lots of sports cars are stick shift.
To bad that 5:07 only knows lazy young folks. I suggest you get out more.
Fuck off, 5:07. Sticks are the latest hipster thing, nit to mention the anti -teen-texting device of smart parents everywhere.
Delete5:97 has likely only been talking to it's own spawn.
Delete"...compared to the automated processes that are digital and foolproof.
ReplyDeleteUntil the computer hardware or software fails.
Or, are hacked...
DeleteOr when Skynet becomes self aware.
DeleteI'm all for them. But I can't wait to see companies like, Lyft and Uber have fits because half their fares are people who are drinking.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be entitled assholes who feel the need to endanger us all with their drunken driving.
DeleteHOwever, for those folks who have a few too many and refuse to drunk-drive, THIS will be great!
OT in Washington-DC
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2017/06/d-c-lgbtq-pride-parade-draws-thousands-in-spite-of-brief-protester-blockade/
Cars separate people- Like riding in a cocoon pod...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/19/japans-scmaglev-super-train-what-its-like-to-ride.html
It is too soon for these cars to be released into the world. I'm old enough to remember other inventions pushed into the world that were touted to be "the greatest new thing!" that were supposedly going to "solve the problem of" whatever. But later it was found that they proved problematic, largely due to either insufficient testing or the inventors not really wanting to think too far ahead to potential problems.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to take trips without having to pay such close attention. I would love to have a self driving car. It is scary, but heck, these cars are probably a lot better at driving than many of the jerks on the road now.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the fence about this one....the driverless car efforts, so far, seem have had great research into safety, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut given the republican desire to remove all regulations and to allow business to do what they want at the expense of the public welfare, I see driverless car companies starting up with no standards and oversight. By the time these cars will be on the road, it will be too late. republicans also want to take that under control by tort reform. If a bad driverless car maims you for life, the republicans want to make sure the company wreaking the havoc won't suffer the consequences.
Welcome to trumpland!
So, will the truckers vote for the GOP's next deplorable presidential candidate when he promises to bring back all those trucking jobs?
ReplyDeleteThere will be a place for self driving cars.
ReplyDeleteBut we should really be working on a much more efficient public transportation infrastructure. Europe puts us to shame when it comes to efficiency and ease of travel.
Yes, our density and distances are different than Europe, but still, we are waaay behind when it comes to that sort of infrastructure. We don't even have a decent railway system if we even wanted to travel the country without using the airlines. Your choices are planes or buses. As nice as the buses might be compared to 50 years ago, there is no way I would travel cross country on one. Train yes, bus no. And I do want the choice. Especially now.
I can't even travel up the Pacific Coastline to Canada by train. I would have to stop and transfer to a bus at certain points.
I was spoiled in Europe. I took the trains and city shuttles everywhere. Three weeks of going anywhere I wanted and no driving. Then I come home and I have to drive everywhere. I can't even get to my parents on public transportation. It would take about an hour with at least three transfers or possibly more and I'd still be six blocks away on foot. I can drive it in 15 min.
Then there is the pollution aspect. When I grow too old to drive I don't want to be using cars. I want to be able to use clean public transportation. Electric trains and buses.
At least they are expanding our local trolley system. Once they do, I'll be able to take the trolley to my parents with only two transfers, plus three bus transfers. And still a six block walk. And they're only 12 miles away.
Why not push for better bike trails?
Delete"I for one can hardly wait to let Google take the wheel and allow me to sit back and enjoy the ride."
ReplyDeleteHey man. why even bother to get out of bed in the morning. Just put on your virtual life goggles, insert the feeding tube and your suction diaper, and enjoy the ride that google has planned for you.
Complacence like yours is the ruin of the human spirit, which is everything. I call it foolishness and idiocy.
Bradbury had the future nailed it back in the 50's.