[ambicapter]

> In most of the US, not being able to drive in bad weather will make self driving cars a complete non-starter.

This strikes me as complete hyperbole. "Most of the US" population wise is in cities, which have weather management (snow plows, bright lights), and plenty of people will buy a car that "self-drives" 80% of the time-most people's driving miles are boring highway commutes, not off-roading.

[rayiner]

Most of the US population lives in the suburbs, not cities: http://www.newgeography.com/files/cox-uza-3.png. It can take days for local suburban roads to be cleared after a snow storm. Rain is also a significant impediment to self driving.

“Most people” (the criterion specified by OP, above) will not buy a car they cannot drive during a snow storm or rain storm. Peoples’ driving might mostly be boring highway miles, but for example here in the southeast you still need to get to work during the regular summer downpours where you can’t see the lines on the road.

[MAGZine]

I have every confidence that once self-driving cars have done a pretty good job of mastering city/fair-weather driving conditions, that ML will be able to handle poor weather just as good or better than humans. For example, humans are susceptible to panic when they start to lose control of the vehicle and do unproductive things like lock up the brakes. Even experienced drivers do this. Self-driving autos won't.

But yes, in the short term, self-driving is a non-starter for many regions during winter months or inclement weather.

[kolleykibber]

I'm curious. What is so unique about perception through weather that ML cannot handle now?

[rubyskills]

I have to imagine that the duty of clearing roads of snow and such will be an early problem set for autonomous vehicles to tackle at much slower speeds when we're sleeping.

[tptacek]

Chicago does what it can during the winter months, and is doubtless pretty competent at what it does, but the streets are still often treacherous, and the city's ability to mitigate weather effects varies between arterial roads and smaller roads. A self-driving car in Chicago would need to be able to deal with inclement weather in all the ways you'd intuitively expect it to have to do so out in the countryside.

[wil421]

Disagree we have huge thunderstorms and no snow. I’m not sure bright lights will help anyone. If it can only drive in clear conditions and on the the highway that’s not autonomous that’s a car with driver assist features.

[jfoster]

But they won't only drive in clear conditions on highways. That's the easiest case to handle, but it doesn't mean they won't go further. It's obvious to go further.