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for some people, waymo-like cars are not an optional luxury/curiosity but a necessity (elderly people, disabled). It would be nice if they focused on those grou

for some people, waymo-like cars are not an optional luxury/curiosity but a necessity (elderly people, disabled). It would be nice if they focused on those groups early, instead of leaving it as an afterthought. The oddities of the cars are not going to be a show-stopper, as long as the cars are safe. Human drivers will learn to adapt their way around the "roomba cars" over time.

rootusrootus 8y ago
Hadn't really considered that. Where I live, the transit company runs a van service door-to-door for elderly and people with disabilities that cannot reach a normal bus stop. The cost of the tickets are the same as for the normal city bus. What do disabled folks do now in places that don't have such a service?
- oldgradstudent 8y ago
  Taxi, Uber, Lyft. The only advantage of a self-driving cars is that it might be somewhat cheaper.
datguacdoh 8y ago
They did focus on these early though. Literally their first fully autonomous drive on public roads was with a blind individual, explaining how the technology was going to be transformative. Video: https://youtu.be/ArYTxDZzQOM https://youtu.be/ArYTxDZzQOM
- buboard 8y ago
  that was a promo video, but i have not seen anything specific to disabled people since then
  - jonas21 8y ago
    They've been working with the guy in the video for over 6 years [1], and he's the former CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center, which has aims for "a future where awareness, legislation and technology meet at a crossroads to provide individuals who are blind and visually impaired the same opportunities as their sighted peers" [2]. It sounds like they're taking this seriously. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgQpa1pUUE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgQpa1pUUE [2] http://www.visionbeyondsight.org/About-MissionVision.htm http://www.visionbeyondsight.org/About-MissionVision.htm
jbnorth 8y ago
Huh, I’ve honestly never really thought of a service like this in that manner. That’s really eye opening.
- buboard 8y ago
  it s going to be a huge market if it proves doable. Consider for example wheelchairs that pair with the car and auto-dock (or even self-driving wheelchairs). selfdriving cars are robots that just happen to have wheels, the posibilities are endless
AsyncAwait 8y ago
Very much this. I'm disabled and self-driving cars would fundamentally change my life for the better.
- umanwizard 8y ago
  Other than being a bit cheaper due to not needing a driver, would they differ from what Uber provides now? Asking out of real curiosity, not trying to debate.
  - AsyncAwait 8y ago
    As a taxi service, it indeed won't be much different. But once the technology is well established, I presume there would be options for leasing. Having the option to just go wherever I want, even longer distances, would be amazing.
quotemstr 8y ago
It's strange to claim that a product that doesn't yet exist is a "necessity". A necessity is a good critical for survival, not just anything that grants a quality of life improvement.
- buboard 8y ago
  i guess wheelchairs are not a necessity either

rootusrootus 8y ago

Hadn't really considered that. Where I live, the transit company runs a van service door-to-door for elderly and people with disabilities that cannot reach a normal bus stop. The cost of the tickets are the same as for the normal city bus. What do disabled folks do now in places that don't have such a service?

oldgradstudent 8y ago
Taxi, Uber, Lyft. The only advantage of a self-driving cars is that it might be somewhat cheaper.

datguacdoh 8y ago

They did focus on these early though. Literally their first fully autonomous drive on public roads was with a blind individual, explaining how the technology was going to be transformative. Video: https://youtu.be/ArYTxDZzQOM https://youtu.be/ArYTxDZzQOM

buboard 8y ago
that was a promo video, but i have not seen anything specific to disabled people since then
- jonas21 8y ago
  They've been working with the guy in the video for over 6 years [1], and he's the former CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center, which has aims for "a future where awareness, legislation and technology meet at a crossroads to provide individuals who are blind and visually impaired the same opportunities as their sighted peers" [2]. It sounds like they're taking this seriously. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgQpa1pUUE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgQpa1pUUE [2] http://www.visionbeyondsight.org/About-MissionVision.htm http://www.visionbeyondsight.org/About-MissionVision.htm

jbnorth 8y ago

Huh, I’ve honestly never really thought of a service like this in that manner. That’s really eye opening.

buboard 8y ago
it s going to be a huge market if it proves doable. Consider for example wheelchairs that pair with the car and auto-dock (or even self-driving wheelchairs). selfdriving cars are robots that just happen to have wheels, the posibilities are endless

AsyncAwait 8y ago

Very much this. I'm disabled and self-driving cars would fundamentally change my life for the better.

umanwizard 8y ago
Other than being a bit cheaper due to not needing a driver, would they differ from what Uber provides now? Asking out of real curiosity, not trying to debate.
- AsyncAwait 8y ago
  As a taxi service, it indeed won't be much different. But once the technology is well established, I presume there would be options for leasing. Having the option to just go wherever I want, even longer distances, would be amazing.

quotemstr 8y ago

It's strange to claim that a product that doesn't yet exist is a "necessity". A necessity is a good critical for survival, not just anything that grants a quality of life improvement.

buboard 8y ago
i guess wheelchairs are not a necessity either