4 ms·
Packing more self-driving cars onto roads is an appealing notion, but I don't think it holds up to scrutiny. Even if a computer detects hazards instantly and co
by RodgerTheGreat 8y ago
Packing more self-driving cars onto roads is an appealing notion, but I don't think it holds up to scrutiny. Even if a computer detects hazards instantly and continuously negotiates with and anticipates the movement of other vehicles, the physics of moving cars remain the same. Safe stopping distances won't be dramatically different. Road surfaces, stray animals, mechanical failures, and any number of other hazards don't care who or what is driving a car.
- linuxftw 8y agoSay you have 3 lanes of traffic. Each lane is occupied by 100% driverless cars. Let's say, there is an object completely blocking the middle lane, and partially blocking the two outer lanes. What will the driverless cars decide to do? My guess, is they wait there until the road is completely unblocked, there's no way for the cars to understand the proper course of action. It will be great fun to bring absolute gridlock with an empty cardboard box in downtown NYC once this all kicks off. Naturally, by then, card board will be illegal there.