[jprete]

I’d think better algorithms. A detailed scan of a city’s streets and layout is obsolete before it’s completed.

A driver (bot or not) needs very good reactions to bad situations observed in the field. And ideally a good sense for when a situation is one step from trouble. As a driver, if I can’t see through a bus then I’m going to assume a crazy pedestrian is waiting to jump in front of me.

(A lot of drivers are quite bad frankly and don’t do most of the stuff you’d want someone to do if they’re directing a one-ton blunt weapon around town at 35mph.)

[giantg2]

"A lot of drivers are quite bad frankly and don’t do most of the stuff you’d want"

I'd say 90% of driving is good/safe driving is mental, with at least half of that bening based on the decision making capability. Yet our tests are mostly focused on physical ability with a small amount of memorizing a subset of the rules.

[solardev]

I wish we put our drivers in driving sims the way pilots have to accrue flight sim hours.

[rrr_oh_man]

Pilots (at least to get the PPL) train at least around 40-60 hours on a live aircraft before flying solo. That's more rigorous, yet very close in principle to what we have in place to obtain a driver's permit, I'd argue.

[solardev]

I think it only took me a half dozen hours or so to get my license? But also that only tested me in best case scenarios with good visibility, other good drivers, etc. A better sim should test and train my response to unexpected events in less than ideal conditions.

[Night_Thastus]

Mine was 30 hours of lessons, 7 of behind the wheel practice. Most of that practice was very plain and simple. Parking lots, side streets, etc.

Being completely honest, I did not feel totally comfortable behind the wheel until maybe a week or of actually driving myself, post-license. (Not that I didn't have a lot more to learn, obviously)

During that week, I could have easily gotten into an accident and did have one or two closer calls.

I would not all be opposed to maybe an additional ~10 hours of more rigorous behind-the-wheel driving, or a very good-quality sim for that same amount of time.

But realistically, I'd imagine making this a hard requirement would hit some massive walls. Good simulators are expensive, everyone wants to drive, and states have very limited budgets for this sort of thing.

[daveguy]

I certainly didn't have 40-60 hours in a car before I got my license. Much less learning permit.

[rrr_oh_man]

In Germany it’s 28 theory lessons, at least 12 practical lessons (including night driving and Autobahn), 1 multiple choice exam, 1 practical exam to get your driver’s license. Additionally, you need to successfully attend a full-day first aid course.

The multiple choice and practical exams are not done by the school, but by an accredited / governmental institution. Each have a ~30% failure rate.

Counting 1 lesson unit as 45 minutes it’s definitely not quite as rigorous as a PPL, but certainly in the same spirit, I’d argue.