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There's more to it than that. Traffic is as safe as it is (I won't call it flat-out "safe"), in no small part because people can anticipate other drivers. A _

There's more to it than that. Traffic is as safe as it is (I won't call it flat-out "safe"), in no small part because people can anticipate other drivers. A _predictable_ driver is a safe driver. Having self-driving cars randomly stop short is a quick way to rack up a lot of "not legally at fault", but perhaps morally at-fault, accidents. FWIW, if you've ever done car/bike track days, this is a huge reason why it's so safe. People are split into groups according to skill level, with restrictions on passing (normally "only on the straights") for the lower groups. Much of the "skill level" here is actually just being predictable, not being outright fast. Someone can be in a Miata getting passed with a 50mph speed differential on a straight _because everyone is being predictable_. That same Miata might pass the same car with a huge speed differential at 90 mph in a turn, and it works because everyone is predictable.

rhino369 7y ago
>Having self-driving cars randomly stop short is a quick way to rack up a lot of "not legally at fault", but perhaps morally at-fault, accidents. And I'm pretty sure, in most jurisdictions, slamming on the breaks unexpectedly and for no good reason, will get you at least a portion of the liability for an accident. The person who rear-ends you will get some too, but its not always true that you can't be at fault when you get rear-ended. As you imply, no safety system should rely on others doing their job perfectly. That is an inherently unsafe system.
- JamesBarney 7y ago
  If there was an accident and the cops ask you "why did you break suddenly?" and you say something reasonable that's not "to commit insurance fraud" you probably won't be at fault. It's the responsibility of the person behind you to keep a safe following distance.
  - karthikb 7y ago
    I have had the "pleasure" of driving alongside and behind Cruise's vehicles on many occasions here in San Francisco. They will stop dramatically in the middle of a block (empty, no traffic, no pedestrians), edge forward, dramatically stop again, go halfway through the intersection and again...dramatically stop. It feels to me like whoever has written their braking algorithm is using bang bang control.
  - rhino369 7y ago
    Sure, but that an issue of evidence. Google, Uber, Tesla, etc. have source code, records, emails, reports, etc. that can potentially prove their cars just break because they aren't good enough drivers. And they have deep enough pockets that lawyers will go after them. 1000% sure Google will end up writing a check if someone dies because they rear-ended a google car that suddenly hit the breaks.

rhino369 7y ago

>Having self-driving cars randomly stop short is a quick way to rack up a lot of "not legally at fault", but perhaps morally at-fault, accidents. And I'm pretty sure, in most jurisdictions, slamming on the breaks unexpectedly and for no good reason, will get you at least a portion of the liability for an accident. The person who rear-ends you will get some too, but its not always true that you can't be at fault when you get rear-ended. As you imply, no safety system should rely on others doing their job perfectly. That is an inherently unsafe system.

JamesBarney 7y ago
If there was an accident and the cops ask you "why did you break suddenly?" and you say something reasonable that's not "to commit insurance fraud" you probably won't be at fault. It's the responsibility of the person behind you to keep a safe following distance.
- karthikb 7y ago
  I have had the "pleasure" of driving alongside and behind Cruise's vehicles on many occasions here in San Francisco. They will stop dramatically in the middle of a block (empty, no traffic, no pedestrians), edge forward, dramatically stop again, go halfway through the intersection and again...dramatically stop. It feels to me like whoever has written their braking algorithm is using bang bang control.
- rhino369 7y ago
  Sure, but that an issue of evidence. Google, Uber, Tesla, etc. have source code, records, emails, reports, etc. that can potentially prove their cars just break because they aren't good enough drivers. And they have deep enough pockets that lawyers will go after them. 1000% sure Google will end up writing a check if someone dies because they rear-ended a google car that suddenly hit the breaks.