Autonomous Vehicles

Squiffy  23 July 2013 10:51:41

Now that autonomous motor vehicles are moving out of the lab and the DARPA challenge and being taken up by everyone including Google it will not be long before these beasts are let loose on roads. It is a good time to draw breath and think about how we will integrate these devices into the chaos of our current road systems.

Will drivers still have to take a driving test, in case they have to take over control of the car?

I suspect that the answer is yes.because while overtaking a truck at 110 mph a "Blue Screen Of Death" can become all too literal.

Will the content of the driving test have to change?

Definitely. The test should be expanded to include:-"

• In-flight rebooting.
• Control Panel Speed Navigation.
• Crash Dump (sic) Diagnosis.
• Good Housekeeping.

Will the AI have to pass some kind driving test?

Definitely, the only question is should it be like the current driving test or more like a Turing test?

Should the AI ignore directions from "back seat drivers"?

Again an emphatic yes. Children and mother-in-law are certainly capable of interfering with smooth running of any AI.

Will we need to amend the legal framework for traffic offences?

I would guess that "Driving Under the Influence" (DUI) should be extended to include intense magnetic fields, disk defragmentation and inadvertent rebooting.

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