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One day they'll be safer than human drivers. That'll be the time when computers have developed sentience and an understanding of the outside world. Driving is

One day they'll be safer than human drivers. That'll be the time when computers have developed sentience and an understanding of the outside world. Driving is a cooperative effort, it requires intelligence, and a theory of mind. A few years ago there was that video where a Tesla kept slowing down because it identified the Moon as a yellow traffic light, and there was this other occasion where it drove behind a truck that had loaded traffic lights and kept identifying those. That would need to stop first.

Shaanie 3y ago
No, it wouldn't necessarily have to. Self-driving cars are going to fail in ways that seem very stupid to us, but they might handle "normal" accident-prone situations much better than humans and thus be much safer overall.
- HarryHirsch 3y ago
  Unless the AI has state and a model of the world (including a model of mind of the other drivers) it won't be able to anticipate dangers. It's going to be as bad as any teenager who has just mastered the controls but nothing else. Such a person is perfectly capable of keeping a straight lane on the highway (note - that's what today's driver assist systems are good for) but nothing else. You wouldn't want to be near them in traffic (doesn't everyone keep double distance from jerky drivers with L plates?) and you wouldn't trust them in dense traffic. You can see that at the point where the Tesla busts through the stop sign - any normal person would associate a stop sign with danger and proceed with caution, except of course the teenager with L plates. Current AI is better than a drunk teenager, but that's too low a bar. Driving sober, well-rested and in daytime (driving during the day also keeps you away from all the other drunkards) is actually remarkable safe. Remember that the safest mode of travel per journey is not the airplane, it's the motorcoach.

Shaanie 3y ago

No, it wouldn't necessarily have to. Self-driving cars are going to fail in ways that seem very stupid to us, but they might handle "normal" accident-prone situations much better than humans and thus be much safer overall.

HarryHirsch 3y ago
Unless the AI has state and a model of the world (including a model of mind of the other drivers) it won't be able to anticipate dangers. It's going to be as bad as any teenager who has just mastered the controls but nothing else. Such a person is perfectly capable of keeping a straight lane on the highway (note - that's what today's driver assist systems are good for) but nothing else. You wouldn't want to be near them in traffic (doesn't everyone keep double distance from jerky drivers with L plates?) and you wouldn't trust them in dense traffic. You can see that at the point where the Tesla busts through the stop sign - any normal person would associate a stop sign with danger and proceed with caution, except of course the teenager with L plates. Current AI is better than a drunk teenager, but that's too low a bar. Driving sober, well-rested and in daytime (driving during the day also keeps you away from all the other drunkards) is actually remarkable safe. Remember that the safest mode of travel per journey is not the airplane, it's the motorcoach.