Article: Google's driverless car worth trillions

Google isn't the only company working on robot cars. The firm I work for is working on technolory for a self-driving auto. I see it running about the grounds from time to time. Usually there is someone in the passenger seat, so I assume it's "not there yet". We even have a robot Hummer, which I assume is for the military. I am not involved and don't know how close to being practical they really are.
 
Surely the Government would be willing to throw trillions at it since they think we can't take care of ourselves a car that drives us around would fit right in with that.
 
I think the biggest hurdle to this technology will be the legal liability. Although we kill thousands and thousands of ourselves in cars each year, can you imagine the lawsuits the first time the computer glitches and some blind guy's car makes like the school bus in "Speed".
 
It could easily be worth trillions if it eliminates or greatly reduces traffic jams. Think of the productivity that is lost each year in Austin alone as people sit in our eternal traffic jams.
 
I don't understand how driverless cars will reduce traffic jams. If anything, they will put more people on the road.

Chunka Mui speculating that roads won't have to be lit because driverless cars "can see in the dark" is crazy talk. You always need to have a manual backup. I think he's going way overboard on this.

Of course, the first time someone showed me the Internet using the browser "Gopher", I thought, "what a POS, who cares?".
 
what do hax0rs say about it? I like the idea and for sure the hoped for result but what about it's vulnerability? What about cyber attacks?
 
Retinal scanning will be the only way to start the car.

Regarding traffic jams, if you ever study the dynamics of most of the traffic slowdowns that develop into traffic jams, they occur from people speeding up, getting too close to the person behind them, and then having to overcompensate by applying the brakes and by discrepancies in people's speed. It sets up an "accordion effect" that echoes and amplifies itself as more and more cars sail into the slowdown.

If everybody drove like I drive there would be a lot fewer traffic jams.
 
Speaking of driving habits, my quirk is that I’m absent-minded. I drive very safely, don’t usually go fast but I get to talking with someone in the car or singing along with my music or whatever, so I forget about where I’m going and drive right past my exit. I do this all the time. My wife understands.

That guy in the u-turn lane with the laughing woman in the passenger seat—that’s me.
 
Driverless cars in public, not in my lifetime and I am 43. Assuming another 30 years,not going to happen on any wide scale, or even small to medium size scales.

In very unique settings yea I can see it but not any more than a ride around Jurassic park or Disneyland.
 
I'm going to get the sticker that came with my Chromebook and one that says "AUTOMATED DRIVERLESS CAR" and put them on my bumper, just to keep people back a safe distance. Probably will work better than "STUDENT DRIVER".
 
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