House passes driverless car bill. Welcome to the future!

Courtesy of The Hill: 

The House passed a bipartisan driverless car bill on Wednesday, advancing what could become the first set of federal laws for the emerging industry. 

The “Self Drive Act” was unanimously approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in July, before Congress left for August recess, and passed the full House on a voice vote. 

“Self-driving cars hold the promise of making America’s roads safer, creating new economic opportunities, and helping seniors and those with disabilities live more independently," Commerce Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) said in a joint statement. “This bipartisan bill paves the way for advanced collision avoidance systems and self-driving cars nationwide, and ensures that America stays a global leader in innovation.”

.....

Lawmakers and industry advocates say it is necessary to speed up the development of driverless technology in order to improve traffic safety. The bill comes amid an uptick in traffic deaths in the U.S. 

"Self-driving cars have the potential in the future to reduce deaths and injuries from car crashes, particularly those that result from driver distraction," Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), the top Commerce Committee Democrat, said on the House floor ahead of the vote. "This bill allows for testing and deployment of self-driving cars to help the United States reach that potential sooner." 

According to one estimate, self-driving cars could reduce traffic fatalities by up to 90 percent.

I know that a whole lot of people are still uncertain about all of this, but I for one can hardly wait.

I was never a big fan of driving in the first place, so it is not something I plan to miss.

Besides I am getting older, and having a car that can take me where I want to go without having to worry about if I can see at night, or whether or not my reflexes are still fast enough to avoid collisions, or if I can even remain conscious for a drive lasting longer than two hours, sounds pretty damn good to me. 

Michigan signs bill to allow driverless cars on their public roadways.

Courtesy of Computerland:  

The governor of Michigan today signed into law a series of bills that allows fully autonomous vehicles, including those without drivers and steering wheels, to begin using public roadways. 

Flanked by a Ford Model T and a self-driving Ford Fusion, Gov. Rick Snyder signed four bills as part of the autonomous vehicles legislative package that allows the operation of autonomous vehicles on Michigan public roads. Before, only testing of the vehicles by manufacturers was permitted. 

"As far as I know, Michigan is the first state to make it official that these types of vehicles can be used on public roads," said Brandon Schoettle, a project manager with the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute. 

"California is also planning to enact similar legislation soon. Obviously, the general act of vehicles driving around like this on any public roads is somewhat unprecedented anywhere, given the very recent introduction of such technology," Schoettle said.

Here it comes folks, that future thing that everybody is always talking about.

My daughter and I have been arguing about autonomous cars for a while now.

She is against them, likes to drive herself, and I am all for them.

I'm getting older and I like the idea that technology will allow me to be independent and able to get around on my own even after my reflexes are shot and my eyesight dims.

Hell I already have a machine that cleans my clothes, a robot that vacuums my house, and several technological devices that allow me to converse with people from all over the world from the comfort of my office in Alaska.

So why wouldn't I be willing to trust a machine to get me around town on its own?