3 ms·

Is Phoenix because self driving cars can't handle any kind of inclement weather? Or is there some other reason to choose Phoenix over Denver or Milwaukee?

jpm_sd 6y ago
Both the geophysical climate and the regulatory climate are favorable in AZ. https://azdot.gov/motor-vehicles/professional-services/autonomous-vehicles-testing-and-operating-state-arizona https://azdot.gov/motor-vehicles/professional-services/auton...
- kfarr 6y ago
  And the roadways are homogenous with relatively new, large simple grids enabling large roadways, clear signage and striping, etc. Unlike a dense complicated old grid style city.
  - dmd 6y ago
    Or, say, Boston. https://i2.wp.com/geoffboeing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/manhattan-boston-street-network-orientation.jpg?ssl=1 https://i2.wp.com/geoffboeing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09...
duffpkg 6y ago
Arizona in general and the metro phoenix area have extraordinarily diligent road maintenance. Surface street speeds are higher and larger road sizes are also very favorable for something like robot cars.
bpodgursky 6y ago
Phoenix has a TON of retired and disabled residents who can't or shouldn't drive (spread out over suburbs), so it was easy to get political support for comfortable transit options that improve their mobility (and don't cost the city anything).
- yowlingcat 6y ago
  Hope grandma has good life insurance!
  - bpodgursky 6y ago
    That is neither accurate not constructive.
    - yowlingcat 6y ago
      Constructive? Maybe not. But accurate [1]? I think it is a valid concern and one which Tesla is facing. For all intents and purposes, driverless vehicles present a potential public health hazard and a moral dilemma. Do you not agree with that? [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/2020/05/16/lawsuit-against-tesla-for-autopilot-engaged-pedestrian-death-could-disrupt-full-self-driving-progress/#2bf76edb71f4 https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/2020/05/16/lawsuit-a...
      - javagram 6y ago
        Tesla sells a driver assistance system comparable or a bit better than competing technologies from MobileEye or GM. Their innovation is branding this ADAS as “self driving” and claiming they will eventually release a software update that makes it more like Waymo’s existing technology. They also have avoided safety features like eye tracking that prevent misuse of the ADAS as if it were a self driving system. Waymo and Tesla really aren’t facing the same issue because the high-profile Tesla crashes are blamed by Tesla on the driver not properly overseeing the ADAS, while Waymo cars are on the road with no safety driver and have never had a major accident, and won’t be able to blame the non-existent driver if they do.
lern_too_spel 6y ago
Notoriously lax regulations. https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/ducey-to-uber-california-may-not-want-you-but-we-do/75-376824890 https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/ducey-to-u...

jpm_sd 6y ago

Both the geophysical climate and the regulatory climate are favorable in AZ. https://azdot.gov/motor-vehicles/professional-services/autonomous-vehicles-testing-and-operating-state-arizona https://azdot.gov/motor-vehicles/professional-services/auton...

kfarr 6y ago
And the roadways are homogenous with relatively new, large simple grids enabling large roadways, clear signage and striping, etc. Unlike a dense complicated old grid style city.
- dmd 6y ago
  Or, say, Boston. https://i2.wp.com/geoffboeing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/manhattan-boston-street-network-orientation.jpg?ssl=1 https://i2.wp.com/geoffboeing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09...

duffpkg 6y ago

Arizona in general and the metro phoenix area have extraordinarily diligent road maintenance. Surface street speeds are higher and larger road sizes are also very favorable for something like robot cars.

bpodgursky 6y ago

Phoenix has a TON of retired and disabled residents who can't or shouldn't drive (spread out over suburbs), so it was easy to get political support for comfortable transit options that improve their mobility (and don't cost the city anything).

yowlingcat 6y ago
Hope grandma has good life insurance!
- bpodgursky 6y ago
  That is neither accurate not constructive.
  - yowlingcat 6y ago
    Constructive? Maybe not. But accurate [1]? I think it is a valid concern and one which Tesla is facing. For all intents and purposes, driverless vehicles present a potential public health hazard and a moral dilemma. Do you not agree with that? [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/2020/05/16/lawsuit-against-tesla-for-autopilot-engaged-pedestrian-death-could-disrupt-full-self-driving-progress/#2bf76edb71f4 https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/2020/05/16/lawsuit-a...
    - javagram 6y ago
      Tesla sells a driver assistance system comparable or a bit better than competing technologies from MobileEye or GM. Their innovation is branding this ADAS as “self driving” and claiming they will eventually release a software update that makes it more like Waymo’s existing technology. They also have avoided safety features like eye tracking that prevent misuse of the ADAS as if it were a self driving system. Waymo and Tesla really aren’t facing the same issue because the high-profile Tesla crashes are blamed by Tesla on the driver not properly overseeing the ADAS, while Waymo cars are on the road with no safety driver and have never had a major accident, and won’t be able to blame the non-existent driver if they do.

lern_too_spel 6y ago

Notoriously lax regulations. https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/ducey-to-uber-california-may-not-want-you-but-we-do/75-376824890 https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/arizona/ducey-to-u...