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Self Driving Cars

Just got a Crosstrek with the eyesight installed. So far it's pretty impressive. There's a couple situations where it acts a little quirky like on the interstate where someone is drifting onto an off-ramp and doesn't get over fast enough it'll decelerate hard. Something to be aware of. But it's really pretty cool knowing that there is an extra set of eyes always watching the road ahead.
 
dmclone said:
Another example where the technology has a ways to go.


I was coming home from Cedar Falls and I decided to use the laser cruise control. I never use it on the interstate because I find it annoying but it seems to work good on rural 2 lone roads. I had the cruise set at 69mph on a 55 mph road. There was a car in front of me so the laser cruise was smart enough to adjust it's speed to the car in front of me and left a nice long distance between us. The driver in front of me was going about 60 and I wasn't in a hurry to pass. A few miles later I pulled into a gas station in Albion (I think that's what it's called). About 20 seconds later a police officer pulls in beside me. He got out and while I was walking in I noticed he took a quick glance into my car. I figured he was looking at my Valentine One in the mirror but I knew no one had clocked me and I wasn't going very fast. As I walked out he was still standing by my car and said "I don't think I've ever seen this model" and I said "Yeah they don't sell real well". He then said "I don't know if you realize it but your break pedal must be really touchy. I was following you for a few miles and they we're constantly going off". I just told him that I had laser cruise and every time it adjusted the distance to the car in front it puts on the break lights. We then both agreed that it was annoying and I went on my way.

In this situation the laser cruise did exactly what it's supposed to do but if I had been driving without it I would have just coasted most of the times where the laser put on the brakes. I also think I would get a lot better gas mileage without it on because it's seems like the system is always making decisions so it's gas/brake/gas/brake/gas/brake and very little coasting.

This is probably just an adjustment they will need to make to the sensitivity but it will be tough to decide between too much distance and being over sensitive.

It kind of reminded me of a thermostat. If I set my thermostat to 72.0 I don't think it kicks in until 73.0 and then it takes it down to 71.0. This cruise is like setting your thermostat to 72 and it kicks in at 71.8 and turns off at 72.2.
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The ABS controller can be told to flash the brake lights without actually hitting the brakes. You know why they flash the brake lights? To warn other drivers who are probably not paying attention to you slowing down, and/or tailgating.
 
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besserheimerphat said:
The ABS controller can be told to flash the brake lights without actually hitting the brakes. You know why they flash the brake lights? To warn other drivers who are probably not paying attention to you slowing down, and/or tailgating.
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The reason it is activating the brake lights is because it is activating the brakes.
 
Stupid question. If you are on a long road trip in a self driving car does it pull in for gas when it needs it or do you have to wake up? Also in this future world where cars no longer need us, do I have to take it to the dealership for service, or can it drop me at work and take itself to the dealership? Lots of **** has to get figured out before we go all autonomous. I do believe it will be slowly brought in. And there will be issues at first not necessary because of the autonomous cars but because of the mix of "stupid cars" vs "smart cars."
 
ManBearClone said:
Just got a Crosstrek with the eyesight installed. So far it's pretty impressive. There's a couple situations where it acts a little quirky like on the interstate where someone is drifting onto an off-ramp and doesn't get over fast enough it'll decelerate hard. Something to be aware of. But it's really pretty cool knowing that there is an extra set of eyes always watching the road ahead.
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I may be misreading/interpreting here...but if someone needs an extra set of eyes to watch the road ahead, I'd say they shouldn't be driving in the first place.

It's like the the lane deviation programs that make it seem like it's just fine to not have to pay attention to where your car is on the road. That really shouldn't be something that a driver needs.
 
madguy30 said:
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I may be misreading/interpreting here...but if someone needs an extra set of eyes to watch the road ahead, I'd say they shouldn't be driving in the first place.

It's like the the lane deviation programs that make it seem like it's just fine to not have to pay attention to where your car is on the road. That really shouldn't be something that a driver needs.
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Where in the quoted post did he say that he "needed" an extra set of eyes?
 
CyArob said:
If the car is self-driving safely and not breaking any laws, can the PD even pull it over?
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No.

A lot of people drive over the legal limit on a regular basis, and never get OWI because they aren't so inebriated that they're incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle within the limit of the laws of the road. There has to be an observable violation of traffic code to effectuate a stop, and if the cop doesn't have it and pulls the vehicle over anyway, judges are pretty quick to chuck the evidence out.

The flipside of that is that probably 3/4ths of the driving population is violating a traffic law at any given time, and at least 40% of those people don't even know it.
 
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I like to drive. Why the heck would I want my car to do it for me?

I rarely even use the cruise control when on the interstate
 
dmclone said:
I also think I would get a lot better gas mileage without it on because it's seems like the system is always making decisions so it's gas/brake/gas/brake/gas/brake and very little coasting.
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if that car in front of you was self driving (and not some moron that's above using cruise control) I'm guessing it wouldn't have needed to keep adjusting the speed
 
Al_4_State said:
No.

A lot of people drive over the legal limit on a regular basis, and never get OWI because they aren't so inebriated that they're incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle within the limit of the laws of the road. There has to be an observable violation of traffic code to effectuate a stop, and if the cop doesn't have it and pulls the vehicle over anyway, judges are pretty quick to chuck the evidence out.

The flipside of that is that probably 3/4ths of the driving population is violating a traffic law at any given time, and at least 40% of those people don't even know it.
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Stats! haha not disagreeing with the overall thought of your post but stats like that always make me chuckle.
 
Cyclones_R_GR8 said:
I like to drive. Why the heck would I want my car to do it for me?

I rarely even use the cruise control when on the interstate
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And if you're willing to pay what will almost certainly be much higher insurance rates, taxes, etc., I'm sure you'll be able to.
 
can't wait for this to be a thing. I bet it would have a major impact on domestic air travel. If I have a family, I'd much rather be in my own car for 16 hours with breaks when I want, entertainment, leg space, ability to nap than to go through flying.

Heck, I like road trips now save for the part where I'm the one driving. Be cool if it's ready to go by the time I have elementary aged kids.
 
ISUME said:
Why?
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Because I seem to be constantly having to slow or accelerate due to traffic conditions so what's the point?
I'll use it if I am on a long stretch were that are no other cars and I can just chill for a while.

MNCyGuy said:
And if you're willing to pay what will almost certainly be much higher insurance rates, taxes, etc., I'm sure you'll be able to.
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I doubt this is going to be the norm in my lifetime.
 
cowgirl836 said:
can't wait for this to be a thing. I bet it would have a major impact on domestic air travel. If I have a family, I'd much rather be in my own car for 16 hours with breaks when I want, entertainment, leg space, ability to nap than to go through flying.

Heck, I like road trips now save for the part where I'm the one driving. Be cool if it's ready to go by the time I have elementary aged kids.
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16 hour car ride? No thanks. That sounds awful.
 
klamath632 said:
Where in the quoted post did he say that he "needed" an extra set of eyes?
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"But it's really pretty cool knowing that there is an extra set of eyes always watching the road ahead."

While it's not saying they specifically 'need' one, it's implying that it's good to have one...I'm saying it should be unnecessary, even theoretically.
 
CyArob said:
16 hour car ride? No thanks. That sounds awful.
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Every few years we would do a vacation that was that long. I didn't fly commercially until I was 20. My sister hasn't flown in probably 15 years. If it wasn't within a day or two drI've we didn't go.
 
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