Electric vehicles

[h4yn0nnym0u5e]

Anyway, job done. We bought a Leaf today.

Good job - please do keep us posted on how happy you are.

The Leaf outperforms my Audio 3 litre A6, interns of sheer poke (response, handling and acceleration)

Also immunity to auto-correct!

 

[QWales]

I didn't mean stop because you run out of charge but stop to change vehicles. If you decide to drive from Lands End to John o' Groats in your scenario would you have to arrange vehicle changes in advance and who with or would there be a car parks along the way always well stocked and help yourself? Think of the time that would add to the journey with all the administration involved or would it be like Formula E with a one minute pit stop?
Are you saying that in Norway there is always a recharge point available when they want one and what is the percentage of electric car ownership in Norway?

I haven't been to Norway but I saw a program and briefly looked on the web and they do seem to have fast charging points everywhere.

I think the driverless thing could work like the car share clubs they have in London where you pay a certain amount each year/month and are pretty much always within walking distance of a car you can get in. Or better still they could offer a drive through battery swap out service so you don't have to unpack. Of course the batteries will eventually catch up and this wouldn't be needed. I believe Tesla has something new coming in soon.

 

[Targa]

I haven't been to Norway but I saw a program and briefly looked on the web and they do seem to have fast charging points everywhere.

I think the driverless thing could work like the car share clubs they have in London where you pay a certain amount each year/month and are pretty much always within walking distance of a car you can get in. Or better still they could offer a drive through battery swap out service so you don't have to unpack. Of course the batteries will eventually catch up and this wouldn't be needed. I believe Tesla has something new coming in soon.

'Driverless'? That will never happen.

 

[Pete Thomas]

'Driverless'? That will never happen.

Well, you get legless drivers, it's just a natural progression.

 

[Targa]

Well, you get legless drivers, it's just a natural progression.

Trouble is they're not 'armless.

 

[MandyH]

'Driverless'? That will never happen.

Oh really?
I was at a colleague's function recently when one of the other guests was telling me all about plans for driverless cars - that you would get (say) a free journey with your morning coffee from <your favourite coffee shop>. Just step outside, catch your driverless car and head off to wherever, while doing work / catching up on social media / current affairs etc.
Like you, though, I don't see it happening.

 

[Jazzaferri]

There are already driverless cars and buses operating in limited areas in a few cities still with human monitors. It will definitely happen, and a lot sooner than many people think. The skill set required to drive safely in a modern big city environment is beyond a significant percentage of the populace.

The first step for cars will likely be taxi's and forms of rideshare. Buses are doing pilots in a number of cities and London Transport is working up a plan

 

[Vetinari]

Do you trust computers? When hackers get to play, how soon before they start messing with automotive systems? All interactions will have to be via massive data networks, routes and traffic will need some sort of control as does air traffic. As we know from recent cyber attacks all systems have some vulnerability.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Do you trust computers? When hackers get to play, how soon before they start messing with automotive systems? All interactions will have to be via massive data networks, routes and traffic will need some sort of control as does air traffic. As we know from recent cyber attacks all systems have some vulnerability.

We know it because of The Italian Job

 

[rhysonsax]

We know it because of The Italian Job

Benny Hill, computer mastermind with a weakness for the larger lady. At least that's how I remember that part of the film.

Rhys

 

[Targa]

Think about what decisions you make when driving not only the control of the car, they are the ones a driverless car cannot make. Is that person wanting to use the crossing. You have right of way but moving slow and a car wants to pull out of the side road you ease of and let them. Parked cars either side leaving enough room for only one vehicle down the centre drivers share the priority, driverless cars would be facing each other not moving. How would it pull out where it's sensors cannot 'see' approaching traffic.
Feel free to come up with a hundred other logical situations they can't handle.
That's before you get to weather conditions.

 

[Vetinari]

Sat navs would need to be much more accurate and updated hourly. They still send people down down dead ends and the wrong way down one way streets. At least we can chose to ignore these directions and make the correct one. Well most people can, apart from the odd idiot or two.

 

[Jeanette]

And what about the sheer joy of driving, it would be lost

Jx

 

[Colin the Bear]

Round here we already have a vehicle that you don't need to drive , that takes you where you want to go. It's called the bus.

 

[trimmy]

It will definitely happen, and a lot sooner than many people think.

Hope so, because it'll make me redundant.....yayyyyyyyyyy

And what about the sheer joy of driving

Jx

You're a woman not much joy for us men

Always remember a quote from my science teacher Mr Foy when i was 14
"Technology will make man redundant"
it's starting to happen

Ps. I will never ever ever use driverless cars

 

[MandyH]

Sat navs would need to be much more accurate and updated hourly. They still send people down down dead ends and the wrong way down one way streets. At least we can chose to ignore these directions and make the correct one. Well most people can, apart from the odd idiot or two.

My old SatNav once told me to "now turn right" the only problem being that the road I needed to turn onto was 12-15 metres beneath me in a valley, with no intersection in sight!

 

[Jeanette]

You're a woman not much joy for us men

You are obviously with the wrong woman or not treating her right, we are capable of providing lots of joy

Jx

 

[Targa]

Sat navs would need to be much more accurate and updated hourly. They still send people down down dead ends and the wrong way down one way streets. At least we can chose to ignore these directions and make the correct one. Well most people can, apart from the odd idiot or two.

I bought a satnav a few years ago in case it was needed within a city I didn't know, apart from that I can use a map. I thought I'll try it out and set it for somewhere I went regularly, it decided to send me the long way round, (must have had it in taxi mode), I went the way I knew, it said recalculating, do a U-turn now, I was driving across the Runcorn Widnes bridge at the time.

 

[Alice]

must have had it in taxi mode),

Sounds to me like you had it on "Parent dropping off kids on school run" mode... that U- turn suggestion..

 

[jonf]

Think about what decisions you make when driving not only the control of the car, they are the ones a driverless car cannot make. Is that person wanting to use the crossing. You have right of way but moving slow and a car wants to pull out of the side road you ease of and let them. Parked cars either side leaving enough room for only one vehicle down the centre drivers share the priority, driverless cars would be facing each other not moving. How would it pull out where it's sensors cannot 'see' approaching traffic.
Feel free to come up with a hundred other logical situations they can't handle.
That's before you get to weather conditions.

I'm inclined to agree on that. I ride a big bike into central London every day. The things that keep me alive are not dealing with location on the street, giving way, traffice lights or right of way at roundabouts. It's the small, almost subliminal things - is the plonker on the side road going to pull out, because he's just looked the wrong way, the erratic nature of the car in front because you can see they have their hand, and therefore phone, up to ther head, the slight weaving from side to side indicating massive risk because the driver is reading a book, watching a flim on a tablet or stroking a dog on their lap (all three seen on one single morning a few months ago). I really don't think that the next few generations of driverless cars will be able to pick up on these incredibly subtle clues.