Four Reasons Google Cars Drive Better Than You Do

[StlouisX50]

http://blogs.forbes.com/briancaulfie...mepagechannels

[Motor On]

Looks like it pulled a ton of tech from Stanford's DARPA challenge (and winning if I remember correctly) automated vehicle project. Of course I've seen Google maps provide inaccurate addresses and roads drawn through fields and LIDAR isn't a fan of adverse weather, I wonder how long before they total one of these....

[SteadySpeedin]

I definitely do not want these being mass produced. That's all I need is my detector being rendered useless. Why can't people stop being lazy f**ks and just drive it themselves? I hope I get hit by one of these, that way I can own google and shut this s**t down lol :P

[that guy]

I definitely do not want these being mass produced. That's all I need is my detector being rendered useless. Why can't people stop being lazy f**ks and just drive it themselves? I hope I get hit by one of these, that way I can own google and shut this s**t down lol :P

that'd be one amazing law suit, google would probably own the judge tho since they own everything

[Lucky225]

Not a fan of John markoff, google markoff mitnick.


Anyhow, what happens when a lidar jammer pwns the lidar sensor =D

[SteadySpeedin]

I definitely do not want these being mass produced. That's all I need is my detector being rendered useless. Why can't people stop being lazy f**ks and just drive it themselves? I hope I get hit by one of these, that way I can own google and shut this s**t down lol :P

that'd be one amazing law suit, google would probably own the judge tho since they own everything

Haha, I wouldn't doubt it.

[supercowpowers]

LIDAR: In addition to video cameras able to see pedestrians and bicyclists, Google’s cars are equipped with a light detection and ranging, or “LIDAR” sensor on the roof able to give the car’s computers a 3-D map of the world around the car out to 230 feet — in all directions

I can see a lot farther than 230 feet. That's a really uncomfortable amount of distance to have to stop if there's something in the way on the highway.

Radar Sensors: four sensors give the car’s computers a sense of what’s going on in front of the car and in back, at the same time. Not terribly exotic, considering some cars already have radar, but hooking four up to a computer at the same time gives the car an ability to see things humans driving most cars can’t.

If something is to your rear and going to hit you, there's about bum**** all you can do about it.

SLAM: Think of this as Google Maps on steriods. Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, or SLAM, let’s the car update a map Google’s cars uses to make its way through the world even it helps each car make find its place in it, Markoff reports. The first run is made by Google’s engineers on their own, then the cars record any changes they see in their environment as they move through it. The result: they won’t do some of the stupid stuff humans do when they get lost, like turn down one-way streets.

Humans that can read signs don't do that.

Better humans: Of course, the ultimate safety feature is the human driver in every car. Google has hired a dozen people with “perfect” driving records to drive around with its cars — stepping in if anything goes awry, Markoff reports. Can’t be too many people like that in California. Maybe that’s why I hadn’t heard about this project.

But unless you train every driver like an airline pilot, your average human will use the reduced workload to pay absolutely no attention at all and let their skills atrophy so when they need them, they're not there.

The road is far too dynamic of an environment for rigidly programmed computers to deal with it.