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The article specifies Level 4 autonomy, which means: The automated system can control the vehicle in all but a few environments such as severe weather. The dri

The article specifies Level 4 autonomy, which means: The automated system can control the vehicle in all but a few environments such as severe weather. The driver must enable the automated system only when it is safe to do so. When enabled, driver attention is not required.

apk17 10y ago
The last two sentences seem contradictory. If the system cannot detect by itself when it is safe to be used, the driver will as well have to react when it becomes unsafe to use?
- marcosdumay 10y ago
  It means the system is constructed such that it won't get into a situation it can not handle. But it does not handle any random situation a human can put it in.
- wyldfire 10y ago
  You're right, it should probably be a bit more muted. Perhaps "When enabled, [significantly less] driver attention is required." The driver can't go to sleep, for example, lest they miss the alert that indicates "oh no I can't figure it out anymore." Though the car would likely be designed to timeout on driver response and execute a safe deceleration/pull-aside maneuver.
notheguyouthink 10y ago
On a sidenote, level 4 autonomy will be really interesting when it's all over the place. People are already "bad drivers" (in my opinion, and including myself), but not having to drive 75-90% of the time will mean we rob ourselves of the constant training that helps keep us somewhat competent at driving. How bad will the roads be when we have thousands of people all very unsure of their driving skills driving in conditions that are dangerous to begin with? Seems quite the interesting issue.
- avn2109 10y ago
  >> "...people all very unsure of their driving skills..." People will still be wildly overconfident of their driving abilities.
- LeifCarrotson 10y ago
  I am at my worst as a driver when I am fatigued from the stress of attending to driving for a long time. Having an L4 system where I could step in for a few minutes after just riding for an hour, giving fresh attention to those few minutes, would make me a better driver. The advent of cruise control has not made people incapable of using the accelerator. You occasionally meet 16-year-olds who enable it on any 35, 45 or 55 mph road when they reach the speed limit, because holding constant speed is a skill. But it's not difficult to refrain from using it for a while to brush up on the skill.
  - LordKano 10y ago
    For me, it's when I'm fatigued and early in the morning. How nice would it be to get 15 minutes to drink some coffee and wake up or relax before getting back to the drive?
  - jacalata 10y ago
    I once spent two hours driving through a snowstorm in Canada. There's no reason to expect that the conditions which require human attention would only last for a few minutes.
    - LeifCarrotson 10y ago
      That's great. I've done the trip to Michigan Tech from lower Michigan in a few snowstorms. But I have done far more miles on highways in good conditions where an L4 system would be helpful. The tech is still useful even if it's not a complete solution.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
developer2 10y ago
>> When enabled, driver attention is not required. People need to stop saying this. It doesn't matter if Level 4 specifies this, and someone claims a certain car successfully passes the test. No car in AI infancy is going to be 100%. Drivers must absolutely be prepared to take over in under half a second at all times. That's not likely to change for 30-50 years. I found it quite socially irresponsible for him to mention during the keynote that it would be fine for his 80+ year old mother to continue driving when she becomes no longer capable of managing the vehicle on her own. It might be perfectly fine in a few decades. Not by 2020 though.
- jayjay71 10y ago
  I agree with you, but that is the new standard. The NHTSA used to have a much stricter definition, but have since adapted the SAE standards.

apk17 10y ago

The last two sentences seem contradictory. If the system cannot detect by itself when it is safe to be used, the driver will as well have to react when it becomes unsafe to use?

marcosdumay 10y ago
It means the system is constructed such that it won't get into a situation it can not handle. But it does not handle any random situation a human can put it in.
wyldfire 10y ago
You're right, it should probably be a bit more muted. Perhaps "When enabled, [significantly less] driver attention is required." The driver can't go to sleep, for example, lest they miss the alert that indicates "oh no I can't figure it out anymore." Though the car would likely be designed to timeout on driver response and execute a safe deceleration/pull-aside maneuver.

notheguyouthink 10y ago

On a sidenote, level 4 autonomy will be really interesting when it's all over the place. People are already "bad drivers" (in my opinion, and including myself), but not having to drive 75-90% of the time will mean we rob ourselves of the constant training that helps keep us somewhat competent at driving. How bad will the roads be when we have thousands of people all very unsure of their driving skills driving in conditions that are dangerous to begin with? Seems quite the interesting issue.

avn2109 10y ago
>> "...people all very unsure of their driving skills..." People will still be wildly overconfident of their driving abilities.
LeifCarrotson 10y ago
I am at my worst as a driver when I am fatigued from the stress of attending to driving for a long time. Having an L4 system where I could step in for a few minutes after just riding for an hour, giving fresh attention to those few minutes, would make me a better driver. The advent of cruise control has not made people incapable of using the accelerator. You occasionally meet 16-year-olds who enable it on any 35, 45 or 55 mph road when they reach the speed limit, because holding constant speed is a skill. But it's not difficult to refrain from using it for a while to brush up on the skill.
- LordKano 10y ago
  For me, it's when I'm fatigued and early in the morning. How nice would it be to get 15 minutes to drink some coffee and wake up or relax before getting back to the drive?
- jacalata 10y ago
  I once spent two hours driving through a snowstorm in Canada. There's no reason to expect that the conditions which require human attention would only last for a few minutes.
  - LeifCarrotson 10y ago
    That's great. I've done the trip to Michigan Tech from lower Michigan in a few snowstorms. But I have done far more miles on highways in good conditions where an L4 system would be helpful. The tech is still useful even if it's not a complete solution.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

developer2 10y ago

>> When enabled, driver attention is not required. People need to stop saying this. It doesn't matter if Level 4 specifies this, and someone claims a certain car successfully passes the test. No car in AI infancy is going to be 100%. Drivers must absolutely be prepared to take over in under half a second at all times. That's not likely to change for 30-50 years. I found it quite socially irresponsible for him to mention during the keynote that it would be fine for his 80+ year old mother to continue driving when she becomes no longer capable of managing the vehicle on her own. It might be perfectly fine in a few decades. Not by 2020 though.

jayjay71 10y ago
I agree with you, but that is the new standard. The NHTSA used to have a much stricter definition, but have since adapted the SAE standards.