2015-10-15
October 15, 2015
Tesla’s autopilot lets cars drive, change lanes themselves
D. Durbin Oct 14 "Electric car maker Tesla Motors is
leapfrogging competitors with a new autopilot system that lets
cars change lanes by themselves.
Like other semi-autonomous systems already available from
Mercedes, Audi and Volvo, Tesla's system automatically keeps
the car within its lane and maintains a certain distance from
the car in front, both at highway speeds and on city streets.
It can find a parking spot and parallel park itself. It also
uses cameras and sensors to warn drivers about potential side
impacts....
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the system is also unique because
it will constantly collect data from actual drivers and
improve itself. The system will note, for example, how
quickly drivers can safely navigate a particular bend in the
road or where stop signs are located....
The autopilot update will be added to around 60,000 vehicles worldwide, including Model S sedans made after September 2014 and Model X SUVs. Owners will get the system through a software update starting Wednesday evening in North America…” Read more Hmmmm…. The lane changing is an impressive substantive enhancement! Congratulations Tesla. Alain
No Apple, No Google, No Uber, Oh, My!
R. Lanctot, Oct 6 “ How do you talk about the future of transportation in this day and age without talking about Apple, Google and Uber? Attend the 22nd ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, that’s how…. How do you talk about the future of transportation in this day and age without talking about Apple, Google and Uber? Attend the 22nd ITS World Congress in Bordeaux, that’s how…
Multiple speakers did pay homage to the importance of interoperability. But interoperability does not mean forcing market driven solutions to come to terms with flawed or ill-conceived and outdated solutions conceived by standards-setting bodies. A powerful indication of the disconnection of the ITS community from transportation technology developments throughout the world was the absence of a start-up or developer area on the show floor and the utter lack of interest from the venture capital community. The claustrophilic ITS community has almost completely hemmed itself in and away from market forces …
Sadly, in this scenario, the last resort for the ITS community, working in cahoots with transportation authorities, NGOs and governments, is to reach out for the solution of last resort: The Mandate. This rarely works out well – as in the case of Europe’s hopeless eCall mandate and Brazil’s foundering Contran 245 mandate. Time after time mandated solutions lock old technologies into place hindering future developments…. Read more
Hmmm…Well said. Fortunately my class meets Monday afternoon so I went to Bordeaux only for Richard Bishop’s ITFVHA’15 meeting on Sunday and made it back to Princeton in time for my class. :-) Alain
International Task Force on Vehicle-Highway Automation: 19th Annual Meeting
Oct 4, Bordeaux: [Team Photo](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_Group_Photo.JPG); [listing of important presentations](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/), including [Introduction](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_Introduction_Summary_of_Comments.pptx),
[CityMobil2](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_EU_CityMobil2_Fischer.pptx),
[AdaptIVe](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_EU_Fahrenkrog_AdaptIVe_status.pdf),
[Ibeo](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_Ibeo_Lages.pdf),
[International Transport Forum](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_Intl_International_Transport_Forum_Voege.ppt), [Progress in France](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_France_LaFortelle.pdf), [Progress in Netherlands](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_Netherlands_Automated_Driving_Developments_Alkim.pptx), [Progress in UK](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_UK_Automated_Shared_Mobility_Overview_Chan%281%29.pdf), [Progress in Sweden](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/ITFVHA15_Sweden_Drive_Sweden_Hellaker.pdf), Progress in Korea.... [Read more](http://orfe.princeton.edu/%7Ealaink/SmartDrivingCars/ITFVHA15/)
Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Liability for Self-Driving Car Accidents
M. Harris, Oct 12 "...Volvo president Håkan Samuelsson caused
a stir earlier this week when he said that Volvo would accept
full liability whenever its cars are in autonomous mode.
Samuelsson went further, urging lawmakers to solve what he
called "controversial outstanding issues" over legal liability
in the event that a self-driving car is involved in a crash.
"If we made a mistake in designing the brakes or writing the
software, it is not reasonable to put the liability on the
customer," says Erik Coelingh, senior technical leader for
safety and driver support technologies at Volvo. "We say to
the customer, you can spend time on something else, we take
responsibility."
The takeaway? While carmakers' promises to accept liability
are probably unnecessary, they're not a signal to steer your
old wreck into an autonomous Volvo in the hope of a fat
payout. "We do not take responsibility for all potential
crashes with a self-driving car," warns Coelingh. "If a
customer misuses the technology or if there is another road
user that causes an accident, it's not we or our customer who
are to blame, it's the third party."[Read more](http://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/why-you-shouldnt-worry-about-liability-for-selfdriving-car-accidents)Hmmm... Yup! Alain
Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. launches “Mobility Domain” – part of the company’s enhanced focus on innovation/emerging risks, and as an engine for future growth
Sept 16 Press Release "Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. has
launched a Mobility Domain as part of the company's overall
commitment to understanding and developing innovative
solutions for emerging risks, and as an engine for future
growth.
Why mobility? United Nations projections put the world
population at 10 billion by 2056, with more people living in
cities and becoming more mobile than ever. Americans? They're
the most mobile of all, traveling more than 15,000 miles a
year on average, according to a Siemens report on urban
mobility.
The Mobility Domain will focus on establishing strategic
partnerships and pilot projects that will enable the company
and its clients to develop risk management solutions for the
new era of mobility, including such areas as vehicle
telematics, shared mobility, crash avoidance systems, and
autonomous driving. Over time, these technologies could also
help to reduce loss costs in the auto insurance marketplace.
..." [Read more](https://www.munichre.com/us/property-casualty/press-news/press-releases/2015/150916-mobility-domain/index.html)
Recap from The autonomous car 2015
J. Plunkett, E. Smith "On 24 September 2015, we welcomed over
100 participants to "The autonomous car 2015: Risks and
opportunities for the re/insurance industry". We invite you to
have a look at the short [summary](http://click.mailings.swissre.com/?qs=dfc1b7a63942696fd6307f7aa44b43df594cf6723cb7ecf982b4451e7b5600e5), [presentations](http://click.mailings.swissre.com/?qs=dfc1b7a63942696f91f63d9881f8c5b6093f6a229295c7ffacd2fb86b0a66e5b),
[photo gallery](http://click.mailings.swissre.com/?qs=dfc1b7a63942696f7ca5b54ede5db4b28ead2da8f5a641cd4355c2fc12dcc070) and [video clip](http://click.mailings.swissre.com/?qs=dfc1b7a63942696fd0532a0a11637db52eff16a049daec4f7aabe9e6fd893ba8) which includes interviews
with some of the speakers and event attendees. [Read more](http://cgd.swissre.com/events/The_autonomous_car_2015_Risks_and_opportunities_for_the_reinsurance_industry.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Post+event_The+autonomous+car&utm_campaign=Read+more&&&&&)
Tiny, automated bus experiment begins in Greece
K. Walker, Oct 3 "Four tiny, driverless buses are on trial in
the Greek city of Trikala, the first of five European cities
to introduce the automated transportation.
The vehicles are part of CityMobil2, an EU-funded research
project that is staging tests of automated road transport
systems with self-driving buses across Europe. Each bus can
carry 10 to 12 passengers along the road at speeds of up to 20
kilometers an hour, around the same speed as a milk float, but
faster than a golf buggy. ... [Read more](http://www.euronews.com/2015/10/03/tiny-automated-bus-experiment-begins-in-greece/) Hmmmm... CityMobile2
continues to make progress. Alain
Volvo’s Intellisafe Autopilot
Autonomous driving, defined by Volvo Cars Read more
Autonomous cars are headed to Ontario
A. Krok, Oct 14 “Beginning January 1, 2016, the Canadian province of Ontario will be the first to allow self-driving cars to test alongside bleary-eyed commuters and teenagers with something to prove….” Read more
DMV Creates First Public Data Set on Driverless Car Crashes
Oct 14, “ h the release of nine reports, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has created what is likely the first public data set on driverless car crashes in the U.S.
The DMV released all its reports on autonomous vehicle
(AV) crashes on Thursday, including details such as
vehicle speeds, location and the circumstances of each
crash...."[Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/technology/personaltech/google-says-its-not-the-driverless-cars-fault-its-other-drivers.html?_r=0) Hmmm... [Link to list and links to reports](http://media.navigatored.com/documents/CA_DMV_AV_CRASHES.xlsx). Alain
Peugeot Citroen trials driverless car
C. Russon, Oct 4 “A PROTOTYPE driverless car built by Peugeot Citroen has completed a 325 mile journey from Paris to Bordeaux where it will feature in this week’s Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress. The autonomous car, which uses an array of cameras, radar and sat nav to travel, completed the route without any human intervention. Driving along the motorway the modified Citroen C4 Grand Picasso automatically adjusted its speed and changed lanes to overtake, taking into account other vehicles, speed limits and junctions….”Read more Hmmm…Mercedes, Delphi, now Peugeot Video (Sort of (Only AutoRoute???)) . Alain
EasyMile Brings Driverless Shuttles to Silicon Valley Office Park
EasyMile, a French company that provides shared
driverless transportation, announced it has forged a
partnership with GoMentum Station, the Contra Costa
Transportation Authority's Concord testing ground for
autonomous vehicles. Based on the collaboration, a
pilot project is being launched in summer 2016 that will
start by bringing two driverless shuttles to Bishop
Ranch, an office park in San Ramon, for prototype
testing.
The shuttles are designed to take passengers a short
distance at low speeds and are meant to compliment
already existing public transportation options..."[Read more](http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Partnership-to-Launch-Driverless-Shuttle-Test-Program-at-San-Ramon-Business-Park-330783202.html) Hmmm...First step beyond CityMobil2.
Alain
Some other thoughts
that deserve your
Recompiled Old News
:
Volvo Cars’ standard safety technology cuts accidents by 28%
Jun 11, 2015, Press Release "One of the most comprehensive
scientific studies performed on collision avoidance systems
in cars reveals that Volvo Cars' standard City Safety
technology reduces insurance claims for rear-end frontal
collisions by 28 percent. Based on real-life accumulated
insurance claims data from the Swedish insurers If and
Volvia, the study of City Safety performance conclusively
reveals the real-life value of auto braking collision
avoidance systems.
The main benefit of City Safety is its ability to reduce the
incidence of whiplash and other neck-related injuries caused
by low-speed traffic accidents. The secondary benefit to
Volvo car drivers is a reduction in accident damage to their
cars and the costs that this incurs... "[Read more](https://www.media.volvocars.com/us/en-us/media/pressreleases/163733/volvo-cars-standard-safety-technology-cuts-accident-claims-by-28)Hmmmm... Just the beginning. Alain
Half-baked stuff
that probably doesn't deserve your time:
Committee Releases Draft Proposal to Keep Families Safe on the Road
Oct 3 " The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on
Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, chaired by Rep. Michael
C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), today released a number of staff
drafted proposals as part of the committee's ongoing work to
keep families safe on America's roads. The subcommittee has
scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, October 21, 2015,
entitled "Examining Ways to Improve Vehicle and Roadway
Safety," to discuss the proposals and other ideas for
improving motor vehicle safety – including measures aimed at
manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA). ...
The staff draft includes proposals to:
-
Incentivize the adoption of crash avoidance technologies and other connected vehicle technologies that improve roadway safety and fuel efficiency;
-
Improve recall awareness;
-
Increase privacy and security protections for motorists; and
-
Modernize NHTSA for the digital age.
To read the staff draft,[click here](http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF17/20151021/104070/BILLS-114pih-DiscussionDraftonVehicleandRoadwaySafety.pdf). [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/technology/personaltech/google-says-its-not-the-driverless-cars-fault-its-other-drivers.html?_r=0) Hmmm... Great idea; however, Section 502 on Pages 54-55:
SEC. 502. CREDITS FOR ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
CREDITS.—Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. 7521(a)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
CREDITS FOR ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY.—
APPLICABILITY.—This paragraph applies with respect to any light-duty vehicle, light-duty truck, or medium-duty passenger vehicle that is
(i)
manufactured after model year 2018; and
(ii) equipped with (as original equipment)—
(I)
at least three advanced automotive technologies; or
(II) one connected vehicle technology
Why wouldn’t aftermarket technologies also qualify?? (only way to really accelerated adoption!) AND, more importantly, why the “or, one connected vehicle technology”?? Guess what the manufacturers will choose, “one” instead of “three” and, to add insult to injury, that “one” (as it seems to be interpreted by the manufacturers) is focused on TravelTainment, not Safety and is actually a major contributor to the “safety problem”. Alain
In California, Electric Cars Outpace Plugs, and Sparks Fly
M. Richtel, Oct 10 “…The push to make the state greener is creating an unintended side effect: It is making some people meaner. The bad moods stem from the challenges drivers face finding recharging spots for their battery-powered cars…The competition has led people to judge one another’s cars and which ones deserve charging priority. Owners of all-electric cars see themselves as most entitled to the chargers, since they have no Plan B. One rung down are “plug-in hybrids,” which use electricity but also can use gas, followed by hybrids, and then two groups for which the owners of pure electric cars reserve particular disdain: gas cars and, perhaps surprisingly, Teslas. (The $100,000 Teslas, as much as three times the cost of other plug-ins, have a range of several hundred miles and so, theoretically, do not need the charge spots.)
Jamie Hull, who drives an electric Fiat, grew apoplectic
recently when she discovered herself nearly out of a
charge, unable to get home to Palo Alto. She found a
charging station, but a Tesla was parked in it and not
charging. She ordered a coffee, waited for the driver to
return and, when he did, asked why he was taking a spot
when he was not charging. She said the man had told her
that he was going to run one more errand and walked
off. "I seriously considered keying his car," she
said.
[Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/03/nyregion/man-killed-in-elevator-accident-in-brooklyn-apartment-building.html?_r=0)Hmmm... Who knew
that the "1%" that created the legislation that gave
then a subsidy, preferential parking, free
electricity and, of course, don't use the true
green mobility: mass transit, would behaved this
way. Alain
Google Maps Lands On The Apple Watch: Simpler But Still Smart
A. Maniit Sept 30 “Google has updated the iOS version of its Google Maps app to quietly roll out compatibility with the Apple Watch. Google Maps for the Apple Watch is a simpler version of the app compared to its iterations for smartphones and tablets. It has been designed as more of a companion app to the feature-packed smartphone version, …” Read more Hmmm…The beauty of a map is that it allows the user to Zoom around and discover what is important at the time. The watch simply doesn’t have the real estate to be anything but totally superficial. I guess that I’m just old-school. :-( Alain
###
C’mon Man! (These folks
didn't get/read the memo)
###
Calendar
of Upcoming Events:
###
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November 4-6, 2015http://www.podcarcity.org/siliconvalley
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http://www.automatedfl.com/our-efforts/florida-automated-vehicles-summit/
###
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##
Technix 2016 Envision Automated Transit (EAT) Saturday, January 9th, 2016
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Kim Engineering Building, University of
Maryland
8228 Paint Branch Dr., College Park, MD
20742
Open to the public
http://www.advancedtransit.org/library/news/technix-2016-envision-automated-transit-eat/
Recent Versions of:
#
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October 08, 2015
###
US urged to establish nationwide Federal guidelines for autonomous driving
Oct 7 “The US risks losing its leading global position in the development of self-driving cars if it allows a patchwork of varying state laws and regulations to develop, according to Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.
In a speech to be delivered Thursday at a
high level seminar on self-driving cars
organized by Volvo Cars and the Embassy of
Sweden in Washington DC, Mr Samuelsson will
say...
He will urge regulators to work closely with car makers to solve controversial outstanding issues such as questions over legal liability in the event that a self-driving car is involved in a crash or hacked by a criminal third party.
Mr Samuelsson will clearly state Volvo's
position on both of these contentious
issues.
He will say Volvo will accept full liability whenever one if its cars is in autonomous mode, making it one of the first car makers in the world to make such a promise.
He will add that Volvo regards the hacking
of a car as a criminal offense. ...."[Read more](https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/167975/us-urged-to-establish-nationwide-federal-guidelines-for-autonomous-driving)
Hmmmm… Fantastic!!! This will really “shake ‘em up”. I’ll be on a panel at this meeting later this morning. Can’t wait!!! This is FANTASTIC!!!Alain See also 2015
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“60 Minutes” test-rides Mercedes-Benz self-driving car
Oct 2 “As Google’s driverless cars have logged more then a million miles in the past six years, the rest of the auto industry is racing to keep up. Computer scientist Ralf Herrtwich hits the road with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker to demonstrate Mercedes-Benz’s most advanced self-driving prototype. Watch the full story Sunday on “60 Minutes.” Watch video and watch 60 minutes on Sunday Oct 4. This is really becoming mainstream. Congratulations Ralf! Alain 26, 2015
As Volkswagen Pushed to Be No. 1, Ambitions Fueled a Scandal
D. Hakim, Sept 26 “…It is not Volkswagen’s first run-in with regulators over emissions. When the United States began regulating tailpipe pollutants in the 1970s, Volkswagen was one of the first companies caught cheating. It was fined $120,000 in 1973 for installing what became known as a “defeat device,” technology to shut down a vehicle’s pollution control systems. This time, it equipped its vehicles with software that was programmed to fake test results, an action the E.P.A. rebuked in 1998, when it reached a $1 billion settlement with truck-engine manufacturers for doing the same thing…..
Cheating on emissions tests solved several
issues at once. Not only were drivers
rewarded with better mileage and
performance, but the automaker also avoided
more expensive and cumbersome
pollution-control systems. While
Volkswagen cheated behind the scenes, it
publicly espoused virtue. This, after all,
is the company that used one of the largest
advertising arenas in the world, the [Super Bowl, to run a commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljI2S7rwZ1Y%20)showing its
engineers sprouting angel's wings.
...Confronted again, Volkswagen continued to
maintain that there was a problem with the
testers, not the vehicles...Government
officials then increased the pressure on the
company, threatening to withhold approval
for its 2016 Volkswagen and Audi diesel
models. According to the E.P.A., that is
what forced Volkswagen's hand. On Sept. 3, a
group of senior engineers admitted what the
regulators had suspected: .... " [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/business/as-vw-pushed-to-be-no-1-ambitions-fueled-a-scandal.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0) Hmmm...So
UGLY!!! Alain
14, 2015
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Automakers Will Make Automatic Braking Systems Standard in New Cars
B. Vlasic, Sept 11 “ Federal regulators said on Friday that 10 automakers had agreed to install automatic braking systems, which use sensors to detect potential collisions, as standard equipment in new vehicles.
But the automakers have not set a timetable
for the introduction of the systems,
...Anthony Foxx, [the transportation secretary, said](http://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-dot-and-iihs-announce-historic-commitment-10-automakers-include-automatic-emergency) in a
prepared statement that emergency braking
technology could reduce traffic deaths and
injuries.
"We are entering a new era of vehicle
safety, focusing on preventing crashes from
ever occurring, rather than just protecting
occupants when crashes happen," Mr. Foxx
said....
The 10 companies "will work with I.I.H.S.
and N.H.T.S.A. in the coming months on the
details of implementing their historic
commitment," the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration said in [a statement](http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/nhtsa-iihs-commitment-on-aeb-09112015) (Same
as the DoT Statement.) [Read more](http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/12/business/automakers-will-make-automatic-braking-systems-standard-in-new-cars.html) Hmmm...
This
is major because the automakers "had
agreed..." rather than "the regulators
had required..." (although there seems
to be a little push-back in that "...had
not set a timetable..." We do know that
many are now offering these systems at a
modest up-sell. So there may actually
be substance in the announcement.) What
is clear now is that we should all
Invest in insurance companies that are
creative in insuring these new
vehicles!!! They are going to become so
profitable! Insurance gets the cash
benefit of the technology without having
to pay for it!!! Wow!!!Congratulations
Warren Buffett. He must have played a
role in this. He stands to benefit so
much. :-) While trucks are mentioned,
(amazing that buses
aren't; DoT is SO BAD!!), they
seem very much the stepchild. SO
unfortunate! :-( Alain
2015
###
Google’s Driverless Cars Run Into Problem: Cars With Drivers
M. Richtel & C Dougherty, Sept. 1 “ Google, … has run into an odd safety conundrum: humans.
Last month, as one of Google's self-driving
cars approached a crosswalk, it did what it
was supposed to do when it slowed to allow a
pedestrian to cross, prompting its "safety
driver" to apply the brakes. The pedestrian
was fine, but not so much Google's car,
which was hit from behind by a human-driven
sedan.
Google's fleet of autonomous test cars is
programmed to follow the letter of the
law... Researchers in the fledgling field of
autonomous vehicles say that one of the
biggest challenges facing automated cars is
blending them into a world in which humans
don't behave by the book. "The real problem
is that the car is too safe," said Donald
Norman, director of the Design Lab at the
University of California, San Diego, who
studies autonomous vehicles. "They have to
learn to be aggressive in the right amount,
and the right amount depends on the
culture."... [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/technology/personaltech/google-says-its-not-the-driverless-cars-fault-its-other-drivers.html?_r=0) Hmmm...
Much of this is good; however, many of
the comments about warning systems being
turned off and gaps being to large are a
result of poor designs and not the real
issue here which is that traffic laws
have been written to control human
drivers and placed in language that will
cause human drivers to achieve the
desired behavior most of the time or at
the critical times. The law addresses
the process to achieve the desired
outcome, and not the outcome itself.
For example, one might argue that the
fundamental objective of a stop sign at
an intersection is to ensure that one
proceeds through the intersection only
at a time when there is no chance of a
collision with traffic in the cars
traveling in the thru lanes. Because of
human information processing limitations
coming to a complete stop is the
parsimonious way for a human to achieve
the desired outcome. (The sight-lines
on the approach to the intersection are
such that a human driver needs to come
to a complete rest so as to be able to
"look both ways" and determine that it
is safe to proceed.) If, however, the
automated technology enables the
automated vehicle to determine that it
is safe to proceed prior to coming to a
complete stop, why should that vehicle
be required to come to a complete stop?
Speed limits are also an issue. For many, they have little to do with the maximum “safe” speed and their enforcement is totally whimsical. With automated vehicles we have the opportunity to deliver a safe speed limit which can vary along curves, ramps, time-of-day, school in/out, weather, traffic volume, prevailing conditions, etc.
It would be a shame for the automated driving algorithms to be cloistered by the letters of the existing laws. Each of these traffic laws need to be examined and be re-cast with a view as being implemented
explicitly by the automated technology.
This may well be the most challenging
hurdle facing SmartDrivingCars. Alain
2015
Truck Safety Out of the Box from Autonobox
B Simpson, July 19, 2015 “The premise is promising. Develop and market a plug-and-play, forward-avoidance braking system for the heavy vehicle market that can be installed quickly, upgraded regularly, and even transferred from vehicle to vehicle if necessary.
The Autonobox System essentially is a second
braking system for heavy-duty vehicles that
addresses the long-standing problem of
brakes that overheat after intense use like
a panic-stop or sustained use while going
downhill.... [Read more](http://www.driverlesstransportation.com/truck-safety-out-of-the-box-from-autonobox-9450) Hmmm...A
viable after-market retro-fit
opportunity. Alain
2015
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Self-Driving Cars Could Destroy Fine-Based City Government. What’s the Downside?
S. Shackford, July 15 “One of the propelling concepts behind self-driving cars isn’t just innovation for the sake of innovation, leading us to our sci-fi Jetsons future. If successfully implemented, it will make ground travel safer, …Local governments have become increasingly dependent on human screw-ups as a way to raise money. Speeding tickets. DUI citations. Parking violations. Those are all big money-makers for municipalities that could very well go away under a regime of self-driving cars….On top of that, if the theory that self-driving cars will lead people to own fewer cars holds up, revenue from registration fees will drop as well…. Read more Hmmm… No downside here! These have to be one of the most regressive tax systems, just behind lotteries and gambling. Governments deserve it, but will save because they will need way police police who now waste way too much of their time enforcing traffic laws. Police have much better things to do. Wins all around; No Downside! Alain 2015
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Lipinski Continues Efforts to Keep Cars and Other Transportation Safe from Cyber Attacksin
Wake of [Fiat Chrysler Recall](http://www.wsj.com/articles/fiat-chrysler-recalls-1-4-million-vehicles-amid-hacking-concerns-1437751526)
July 28 “…These vulnerabilities pose great risks and the federal government must do more to help protect Americans from these risks.”
Late last year, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, originally introduced by Congressmen Lipinski, was signed into law. The Act increases the security of federal networks and information systems, improves the transfer of cybersecurity technologies to the marketplace, trains a cybersecurity workforce, and coordinates and prioritizes federal cybersecurity research and development efforts. “ Read more Hmmm…
Besides protecting we must also
prosecute. There has to be bad
consequences and not notoriety to those
that do the nasty deed. Alain
2015
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Center for Automated Road Transportation Safety @ Fort Monmouth is Launched
Monday, July 20, 2015 – “After more than three (3) years of planning and several major meetings the substantive launch the Center for Automated Road Transportation Safety @ Fort Monmouth (CARTS@FM) occurred this week with the establishment of the not-for-profit. (501(c) (6)), New Jersey Corporation. The mission of this Center is to substantially improve safety on our existing conventional roadway infrastructure through the use of inexpensive automated collision avoidance systems installed on individual vehicles operating harmoniously with conventional vehicles throughout most, if not all, existing roadways. The scope of CARTS’s mission is across all modes that utilize the nation’s conventional road system: trucks, buses and cars. ..” Read more 2015
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Automatic Cars Or Distracted Drivers: We Need Automation Sooner, Not Later
D. Norman 6/4/15 “Imperfect automation, continually getting better? Or distracted drivers, continually getting worse? Choose.
I am fearful of the rapid rush toward full
automation and have published numerous
articles about the difficulties we will face
because of the mismatch of the automation
and human behavior. However, I am even more
fearful of the rapid rise of distracting
devices installed in automobiles, mounted on
dashboards, worn on the wrist or body, or
carried on seats, pockets, and laps of
drivers...Each day seems to bring a new
distraction. Heads-up displays (HUDs) that
once were aids to minimizing distraction by
making it easier for the driver to see
navigation aids and speed, are now catching
featuritis, that deadly disease which
corrupts products...." [Read more](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/automatic-cars-distracted-drivers-we-need-automation-sooner-norman)
Hmmm….
Yup!! Plus more comments from Don... "You might also want
to add your traditional sarcasm saying
"He saw the light!" or something
because up to now, I have been arguing
for caution (including my keynote at
last years automated Vehicles
conference (where I met you) -- it's
about to be published in the
proceedings. And I have a tech review
article about to come out arguing the
same caution (except I was just able
to add a paragraph saying that all my
words of caution are correct, but we
still should switch to automation
quickly).
The most dangerous part of automated
vehicles is when they are partially
automated: the better the automation,
the less able a person is able to take
corrective action. This is a point I
have argued for since my early work on
aviation safety some 20 years ago but
has been part of the human factors
literature since long before that ([Bainbridge](http://www.bainbrdg.demon.co.uk/)Hmmm...it would not
be bad to re-read the [1983 paper](https://www.ise.ncsu.edu/nsf_itr/794B/papers/Bainbridge_1983_Automatica.pdf).). So we have to
skip this stage if at all possible. I
have long argued that we should have
either all or none. it is the mixture
that is dangerous.
Basically, we have not solved the
human element yet. By this I mean the
pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboards,
manually driven cars that will always
be an issue. Moreover they will game
the system: deliberately ignoring the
cars under the assumption that they
are programmed not to hit them, so
they can do anything they want.
This assumption will both stall
traffic, create roadblocks, and also
occasionally prove to be false
(automated cars cannot overcome the
laws of physics).
Another complexity is aggression.
Drivers have to be aggressive to get
through traffic, but the amount and
form of aggression is cultural.
Pedestrians behave differently on
college campuses (they think they own
the place) versus the same people just
a few miles away in cities, where they
are more lawful. Korean drivers have
to be aggressive to merge. And in
China or Vietnam or India? Wow.
Milan drivers are the most lawful I
have experienced recently, but even
they lose their patience."
Alain
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Rep. Lipinski Introduces Future Transportation Research and Innovation Act
I. Sancken 03/29/15, “Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) has introduced H.R. 2886, the Future Transportation Research and Innovation for Prosperity (TRIP) Act, to support innovative technologies that have the potential to fundamentally alter mobility in America and beyond.
"Surface transportation used to be rather
staid and unimaginative, but today the very
concept of 'mobility' is being reinvented
through research, innovation, and
entrepreneurship," said Rep. Lipinski.
"Rapidly advancing automation, connectivity,
and information technologies are creating
incredible opportunities for transportation
innovation. We need to develop innovative
ways to improve safety, ease congestion,
improve personal mobility, and cut energy
use..." [Read more](http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/la-grange/community/chi-ugc-article-rep-lipinski-introduces-future-transportatio-2015-06-29-story.html#page=1) Hmmm...
Excellent! Alain
2015
MOSI debuts nation’s first driverless vehicle open to public
D. Dangerfield, 6/12/15 “ Imagine a vehicle that can drive on its own. On Saturday, the public will be invited to take a ride in one. The new driverless Meridian Shuttle is part of an exhibit that opens at MOSI on Saturday. The vehicle allows up to eight people to ride around the first floor of the museum. Read more Hmmm…
It is all about starting.
Congratulations! Alain
2015
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NTSB Calls for Immediate Action on Collision Avoidance Systems for Vehicles; Cites Slow Progress as Major Safety Issue
6/8/15 “ WASHINGTON – In a report released today, the National Transportation Safety Board outlined the life-saving benefits of currently available collision avoidance systems, and recommended that the technology become standard on all new passenger and commercial vehicles.
"You don't pay extra for your seatbelt,"
said Chairman Christopher A. Hart. "And you
shouldn't have to pay extra for technology
that can help prevent a collision
altogether."... [Read more](http://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/PR20150608b.aspx) Hmmm
Yea!!! Finally some semblance of
sanity in Washington. Alain
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John F. Nash Jr., Math Genius Defined by a ‘Beautiful Mind,’ Dies at 86
E. Goodmay, May 24 “…Dr. Nash and his wife, Alicia, 82, were in a taxi on the New Jersey Turnpike in Monroe Township around 4:30 p.m. when the driver lost control while veering from the left lane to the right and hit a guardrail and another car, Sgt. Gregory Williams of the New Jersey State Police said.
The couple were ejected from the cab and
pronounced dead at the scene. The State
Police said it appeared that they had not
been wearing seatbelts.... [Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/25/science/john-nash-a-beautiful-mind-subject-and-nobel-winner-dies-at-86.html)
See also: [John, Alicia Nash Remembered After Fatal Crash](http://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2015/05/27/john-alicia-nash-remembered-after-fatal-crash/)
A Beautiful Mind Mathematician John Nash and His Wife Killed in N.J. Car Crash ;
Hmmm… So tragic!!!
What a crying shame!!! So
preventable!!! We will miss them
:-(
Unfortunately,
the NYT and others tried but missed the
fundamental point by following up with ["Deaths of Math Genius John F. Nash Jr. and Wife Show Need to Use Seatbelts in Back, Experts Say](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/26/nyregion/deaths-of-math-genius-john-f-nash-jr-and-his-wife-show-need-to-use-seatbelts-in-back-experts-say.html) ". Why
do we so easily put up with crashes in
the first place? It is as if it is OK
to go around crashing, just put on a
seat belt. Technology is available to
avoid crashes, but there isn't
sufficient public policy focus on
avoiding crashes to accelerate its
adoption and enhancement.
The fundamental problem was that the taxi was not equipped with available automated stability control, lane keeping and collision avoidance systems. This was not an accident, it was a failed public safety policy that refuses to move beyond crash mitigation and its challenged “V2x” initiatives to embrace forthright automated crash avoidance.
Moreover, there is a failed Taxi regulatory structure that doesn’t even hint that taxis should have electronic stability control, automated lane keeping and collision avoidance. What is the purpose of taxi regulation, to keep “Ubers” out of business?
It is time for the nation’s transportation policy to focus intelligence/automation on the vehicle in support of the driver. Hopefully Congress will restructure the pending transportation legislation to focus automated vehicle technologies that actively assist drivers when they make driving mistakes. We are not perfect. We deserve a public safety policy that is more mindful of our imperfections. Policy that isn’t aimed at just warning and scolding us but actively takes over and does the right thing. We, not
the infrastructure, are
the cause of most of the the highway
carnage. It is the driver who needs
help and our public policy should focus
on delivering that help. Alain
2015
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The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car
Chris Urmson May 11, 2015 “After 1.7 million miles we’ve learned a lot — not just about our system but how humans drive, too. The most common accidents our cars are likely to experience in typical day to day street driving — light damage, no injuries — aren’t well understood because they’re not reported to police. Yet according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, these incidents account for 55% of all crashes. It’s hard to know what’s really going on out on the streets unless you’re doing miles and miles of driving every day. And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing with our fleet of 20+ self-driving vehicles and team of safety drivers, who’ve driven 1.7 million miles (manually and autonomously combined). The cars have self-driven nearly a million of those miles, and we’re now averaging around 10,000 self-driven miles a week (a bit less than a typical American driver logs in a year), mostly on city streets. In the spirit of helping all of us be safer drivers, we wanted to share a few patterns we’ve seen. A lot of this won’t be a surprise, especially if you already know that driver error causes 94% of crashes.
If you spend enough time on the road,
accidents will happen whether you're in a
car or a self-driving car. Over the 6
years since we started the project, we've
been involved in 11 minor accidents (light
damage, no injuries) during those 1.7
million miles of autonomous and manual
driving with our safety drivers behind the
wheel, and not once was the self-driving
car the cause of the accident. ... We'll
continue to drive thousands of miles so we
can all better understand the all too
common incidents that cause many of us to
dislike day to day driving — and we'll
continue to work hard on developing a
self-driving car that can shoulder this
burden for us." [Read more](https://medium.com/backchannel/the-view-from-the-front-seat-of-the-google-self-driving-car-46fc9f3e6088)
Hmmm…. MUST
reading; HOWEVER, we need much
more information to be released, not
just a few examples. Please make your
data public! We don't need to know who
but we desperately need to know what
so that not only Google, but the rest
of us can... "...work hard on
developing..." SmartDrivingCars "....that
can shoulder this burden for us." Alain
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