4 ms·

Are we talking about metros or trains? Metros are built out of the way. They shouldn't kill people because there are a few stations of track that they can kill

Are we talking about metros or trains? Metros are built out of the way. They shouldn't kill people because there are a few stations of track that they can kill people. The second you put the train in the open air where other people are, where weather is, where nature is, those things kill people on the regular. Get out of your tunnel, and suddenly your "success" has nothing to do with the control system.

crocal 9y ago
Metros are the only driverless systems in mass transit so far. There are some ongoing projects for driverless freight but I consider that it is not relevant to this particular discussion. I don't want to sound obnoxious but driverless metros routinely operate in the open air :). Tunnels are not a mandatory condition for such systems. They manage strong winds, strong rains with reduced adhesion conditions, etc. They manage the possibility for people or non-protected trains to intrude on the track. A lot of brain was put into automating decisions related to fire scenarios or emergency evacuations. Metro lines like Paris line 1 are extremely busy. There are plenty of ways to kill people, yet they don't. Just the "stuck hand-bag" scenario is a nightmare to manage. Yet. A driverless system is truly a massive piece of software. You guys should come in the tunnels and have fun with us!
threadwhisperer 9y ago
> Metros are built out of the way. They shouldn't kill people because there are a few stations of track that they can kill people. This is demonstrably false. There are many metro systems with tracks on viaducts and at-grade (e.g. "open air"), with GoA 4 control systems. These systems can and do detect objects on the track. They also deal with severe weather (heavy thunderstorms, snow, etc). I think you're discounting the experience of delivering railway systems without considering lessons that could be learned in deploying them, and applying that to self-driving cars.

crocal 9y ago

Metros are the only driverless systems in mass transit so far. There are some ongoing projects for driverless freight but I consider that it is not relevant to this particular discussion. I don't want to sound obnoxious but driverless metros routinely operate in the open air :). Tunnels are not a mandatory condition for such systems. They manage strong winds, strong rains with reduced adhesion conditions, etc. They manage the possibility for people or non-protected trains to intrude on the track. A lot of brain was put into automating decisions related to fire scenarios or emergency evacuations. Metro lines like Paris line 1 are extremely busy. There are plenty of ways to kill people, yet they don't. Just the "stuck hand-bag" scenario is a nightmare to manage. Yet. A driverless system is truly a massive piece of software. You guys should come in the tunnels and have fun with us!

threadwhisperer 9y ago

> Metros are built out of the way. They shouldn't kill people because there are a few stations of track that they can kill people. This is demonstrably false. There are many metro systems with tracks on viaducts and at-grade (e.g. "open air"), with GoA 4 control systems. These systems can and do detect objects on the track. They also deal with severe weather (heavy thunderstorms, snow, etc). I think you're discounting the experience of delivering railway systems without considering lessons that could be learned in deploying them, and applying that to self-driving cars.