[ams6110]

Any time I read these utopian pieces about the driverless car nirvana that is around the corner I roll my eyes. If there's anything we should learn from history it's that nothing is as simple as it seems, especially if it's something we want.

There will be unforeseen technical issues that are not apparent with a single test car or even small numbers of test cars. There will be accidents, and we'll have lawsuits against Google or other manufacturers. Those will have to play out, so we figure out who is really liable when a driverless car crashes. Trial lawyers will flock to these like sharks to a bleeding fish.

We may get to a point where driverless cars are safer than human-operated cars, and are accepted by the public. I think it's at least 50 years away.

[fricken4]

It's not 50 years away, it's closer to 5 years away. In 15 years they will dominate the roads.

Google's cars have already demonstrated that they are safer than human drivers with 99% statistical certainty, they have over 750,000 miles of accident free testing on public roads under their belt.

Because Self Driving Cars stand to reduce traffic accidents by 90% or more, it is likely that they will be afforded certain legal protections against the sorts of class action lawsuits you're suggesting, much as they do for vaccine makers, under the auspices that in spite of the risks involved for manufacturers the net benefit to society is too great.

[protomyth]

> Google's cars have already demonstrated that they are safer than human drivers with 99% statistical certainty, they have over 750,000 miles of accident free testing on public roads under their belt.

Has Google driven their car in snow storm[1] or with snow/ice on the ground?

1) I'm talking basic heavy snow, not a blizzard

[fricken4]

They have not done serious work yet with driving in snow and other inclement weather conditions, this is the phase they're entering into as we speak. They've suggested their cars will be ready for the public in 2017, I guess we'll see if they meet this deadline or not.

[protomyth]

So they haven't driven in road conditions that cause quite a bit of accidents but you state they "demonstrated that they are safer than human drivers with 99% statistical certainty, they have over 750,000 miles of accident free testing on public roads under their belt."

Is the success you quoted adjusted for lack of adverse weather conditions and is it published?

[woofyman]

Agreed. The corner cases are very difficult.