5 ms·

Just remember, it isn't a matter of whether self-driving cars ever fail. They only have to do better than the current, abysmal ~3,000 fatalities per day.

sipior 15y ago
That's certainly a fair point. But you try explaining that to a person who lost a spouse or a child in a car crash resulting from a "glitch". Humans, for better or worse, like to have a sense of control over their own circumstances, even when that sense is almost completely illusory.
scythe 15y ago
>They only have to do better than the current, abysmal ~3,000 fatalities per day. It's not 3000 fatalities per day, it's more like 150. http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/aacrashdeaths.htm http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/aacrashdeaths.... Furthermore, this needs to be balanced against the potential for some seriously ugly 1984-style stuff when you give an external authority control of millions of cars. I don't understand how someone can complain about TSA regulations one day and turn around and ask for mandatory automated cars the next.
- Jabbles 15y ago
  Worldwide ~3000 deaths per day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_motor_vehicle_collisions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_motor_vehicle_c...
  - scythe 15y ago
    Fatalities are more likely in non-first-world countries without developed infrastructure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Road_traffic_accidents_world_map_-_Death_-_WHO2004.svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Road_traffic_accidents_wor... Conversely, I think it is reasonable to assume that the orange and red countries on the map can and will eventually look like Europe. Higher than 150, yes, but 3000 only if you count deaths from places like Iran. (there's a decreasing trend here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.s._traffic_deaths_as_fraction_of_total_popualtion.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.s._traffic_deaths_as_fra... )
  - speckledjim 15y ago
    I don't think it's useful to include all countries in a statistic like that. In that 3000 you're including countries without roads, signs, traffic laws, etc. You're including countries without speed limits, driving licenses, etc etc. Wikipedia says the deaths in the US are about 90 a day.

sipior 15y ago

That's certainly a fair point. But you try explaining that to a person who lost a spouse or a child in a car crash resulting from a "glitch". Humans, for better or worse, like to have a sense of control over their own circumstances, even when that sense is almost completely illusory.

scythe 15y ago

>They only have to do better than the current, abysmal ~3,000 fatalities per day. It's not 3000 fatalities per day, it's more like 150. http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/aacrashdeaths.htm http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/aacrashdeaths.... Furthermore, this needs to be balanced against the potential for some seriously ugly 1984-style stuff when you give an external authority control of millions of cars. I don't understand how someone can complain about TSA regulations one day and turn around and ask for mandatory automated cars the next.

Jabbles 15y ago
Worldwide ~3000 deaths per day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_motor_vehicle_collisions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_motor_vehicle_c...
- scythe 15y ago
  Fatalities are more likely in non-first-world countries without developed infrastructure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Road_traffic_accidents_world_map_-_Death_-_WHO2004.svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Road_traffic_accidents_wor... Conversely, I think it is reasonable to assume that the orange and red countries on the map can and will eventually look like Europe. Higher than 150, yes, but 3000 only if you count deaths from places like Iran. (there's a decreasing trend here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.s._traffic_deaths_as_fraction_of_total_popualtion.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:U.s._traffic_deaths_as_fra... )
- speckledjim 15y ago
  I don't think it's useful to include all countries in a statistic like that. In that 3000 you're including countries without roads, signs, traffic laws, etc. You're including countries without speed limits, driving licenses, etc etc. Wikipedia says the deaths in the US are about 90 a day.