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[Varche]

Anyone experience of being in a self driving car?

Recently I was talking to a guy. His friend has a Tesla and he regularly comes back from London and  works in the car , just occasionally touching the steering wheel. Is that currently possible?

Second thing concerned overtaking. Say the prevailing speed limit is 60 and you encounter a vehicle ‘ dawdling ’ at 50, then a self driving car can overtake assuming it is safe and legal. I just assumed it would stay behind the slow vehicle.

[TheBoy]

I don't think anyone has a (autonomous) self driving car thats allowed on the road yet.  Tesla keep claiming to, but they are full of shit, and its just a driver aid that seems to help you crash quite a lot.  Hence, they are not allowed to roll it our further in the US....

[Doctor Gollum]

There's a system that can be retrofitted to the Chevy Volt and uses the existing vehicle systems to be as autonomous as you might wish for.

Mercedes distronic system controls the following distance and speed. Doesn't take much of a leap to add lane departure, blind spot recognition and infrared cameras, all of which are readily, and reliably, available.

The primary issue with the Tesla system in the US is that under run protection isn't mandated on lorries and their trailers are much longer with very different axle spacing. Both combine to cause issued for the low slung cameras on the Tesla in certain situations.

Also, if fully autonomous cars are to be allowed, then the developers are liable for any accidents caused by the car. Obviously that is a nonsense when you have a fleshy lump in the driver seat.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Tesla self drive cars in the USA have a problem apparently:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars

I think there is still a lot of work to do before we have them in the UK

[Marks DTM Calib]

The only true self driving cars I know of are the Google operated iPace conversions in California.

[Doctor Gollum]

Tesla self drive cars in the USA have a problem apparently:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars

I think there is still a lot of work to do before we have them in the UK

Media exaggerated BS.

It's a software update being done remotely. Not a 'recall'.

No different to your mobile phone updating itself.

[Sir Tigger KC]

The only benefit I can see from a self driving car is when I'm too old and decrepit to drive myself and I can just get in a say Tesco.... Bingo.... Pub....or where ever, and it just takes me there. 

By that stage I won't care if it's just a little pod type thing. 

[Doctor Gollum]

The only true self driving cars I know of are the Google operated iPace conversions in California.

There's a firm in Miami using mini automated four wheeled boxes that follow cycle paths. But unlike cyclists, they actually stop at the lights

[Nick W]

Self driving a modern car isn't particularly difficult.


Self driving it on the roads, with everything else that goes on is extremely difficult. It would be much easier if every car was self driving and linked. Removing other road users like pedestrians etc would be another improvement. But trains do all of that and already exist and work well.

[Rangie]

Don't really enjoy being driven rather be totally in control myself, certainly wouldn't trust or want to rely on electronic gizmos, but would suit some idiots I expect.

[Kevin Wood]

Self driving a modern car isn't particularly difficult.


Self driving it on the roads, with everything else that goes on is extremely difficult. It would be much easier if every car was self driving and linked. Removing other road users like pedestrians etc would be another improvement. But trains do all of that and already exist and work well.

.. and they haven't stopped them needing drivers. Or found drivers that don't go on strike.

[Raeturbo]

Don't really enjoy being driven rather be totally in control myself, certainly wouldn't trust or want to rely on electronic gizmos, but would suit some idiots I expect.

             100% ^^^^  I want to drive… END OF.   Why target us all😡

[Marks DTM Calib]

Tesla self drive cars in the USA have a problem apparently:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars

I think there is still a lot of work to do before we have them in the UK

Its marketed as self driving but, it isn't, its a level 2.5, at a push level 3 so is little more than adaptive cruise plus lane keep assist, some have the option to work under remote control to get them in/out of parking spots to.   

We do have prototypes in the UK running around, for me though, I buy a nice car because I like driving so the ADAS features are of little interest.

[TheBoy]

There's a system that can be retrofitted to the Chevy Volt and uses the existing vehicle systems to be as autonomous as you might wish for.

Mercedes distronic system controls the following distance and speed. Doesn't take much of a leap to add lane departure, blind spot recognition and infrared cameras, all of which are readily, and reliably, available.

The primary issue with the Tesla system in the US is that under run protection isn't mandated on lorries and their trailers are much longer with very different axle spacing. Both combine to cause issued for the low slung cameras on the Tesla in certain situations.

Also, if fully autonomous cars are to be allowed, then the developers are liable for any accidents caused by the car. Obviously that is a nonsense when you have a fleshy lump in the driver seat.

Many more premium cars cars built in the last 10-15 yrs have much of the tech that forms a tiny part of whats needed in autonomous cars - adaptive cruise, lane assist, oncoming car recognition, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitors and so on.  Add some lidar for surroundings recognition, and you may get close to it being autonomus-ish if its in an area with no people, animals or other vehicles.  This is where the most complex problems are still in the process of being solved.

Tesla's (badly/falsely marketed, as DTM says) autopilot feature highlights we are still a million miles away from that.

[Varche]

So what about overtaking?

Can they do it or are they just going to form a neat train behind say a tractor or dawdler to make it impossible for a conventional car?