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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?

[STEMO]

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?

Just accept that it's not going to work in real world situations unless every vehicle is in touch with every other vehicle.

[Marks DTM Calib]

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?

Just accept that it's not going to work in real world situations unless every vehicle is in touch with every other vehicle.

And that is tech that is also rolling out, V2X (or Vehicle to anything) communication, using 5G cellular tech (on a different band) or Wifi (DSRC as on the newest Golf..........but this tech is already pretty dead)

[STEMO]

I mean every other vehicle. From 10 year old cars and vans, to motorbikes, tractors and even pushbikes. Any rogue vehicle has the opportunity to cause an accident.
The only alternative to this is to have every yard of every street mapped out and made available to any vehicle equipped to accept that information. IMO, we're still a long way off.....thank god.

[Marks DTM Calib]

I mean every other vehicle. From 10 year old cars and vans, to motorbikes, tractors and even pushbikes. Any rogue vehicle has the opportunity to cause an accident.
The only alternative to this is to have every yard of every street mapped out and made available to any vehicle equipped to accept that information. IMO, we're still a long way off.....thank god.

Indeed, but it will happen faster than you think, as it does not require every vehicle or traffic item to be fitted with it.

What can happen is that a car scans its surroundings and identifies cars, tractors, lorries around it, it can work out the direction, acceleration and speed. This then gets shared with infrastructure and other cars and builds a picture for all equipped to see. 

V2X will be part of NCAP in a few years and will attract extra safety points

[TheBoy]

I mean every other vehicle. From 10 year old cars and vans, to motorbikes, tractors and even pushbikes. Any rogue vehicle has the opportunity to cause an accident.
The only alternative to this is to have every yard of every street mapped out and made available to any vehicle equipped to accept that information. IMO, we're still a long way off.....thank god.

Indeed, but it will happen faster than you think, as it does not require every vehicle or traffic item to be fitted with it.

What can happen is that a car scans its surroundings and identifies cars, tractors, lorries around it, it can work out the direction, acceleration and speed. This then gets shared with infrastructure and other cars and builds a picture for all equipped to see. 

V2X will be part of NCAP in a few years and will attract extra safety points

But the Oxford mob (other car haters are probably available) will still see it as evil/antisocial/not-their-idea-of-green/whatever, and will cry out that buses/trains make a far better solution, so there will be no need for this technology

[johnnydog]

One of my cars has lane departure warning (lane keep assist), lane assist (vehicles in lanes on your nearside / offisde), all surround view (front, rear and side cameras), self parking, front and rear cross traffic warning (if you're nudging out of a parking bay and a car is approaching, adaptive cruise control (will bring the vehicle to a complete stop under normal braking as required) - the front rear cameras are useful when parking (the rear is great whenreversing up to a trailer as you can see when the hitch is over the towball), but the only one I use on the move is the variable adaptive cruise control in say 50 mph speed limits in variable speed limit sections on the motorway. Rest are a gimmicky in my opinion - nice to have, but would I use most of them - no. Probably down to trust. But I like to drive my cars, so as long as I'm fit and able, I like to be in complete control of my car. 

[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

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.

That I believe is the crucial factor for most of us, at least on OOF, as we do LOVE driving as then we remain independent, able to freely go (almost) where we want to, and just get out in the world, not trapped at home relying on public transport, heaven forbid!