4 ms·

Cruise cars halt traffic in SF, cite 'connectivity issues'

12 points by pg_1234 3y ago

smitty1e 3y ago
It would seem that a draconian network reliability KPP would be needed, along with an intensive test plan. The ripple effects of a jacked up system would dwarf the cost of such a test plan.
jwilk 3y ago
"This content is not available in your country/region." Archived copy: https://web.archive.org/web/20230813084719/https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/video-cruise-cars-halt-traffic-in-sf-cite-connectivity-issues-linked-to-outside-lands-festival/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230813084719/https://www.kron4...
- gorbachev 3y ago
  Also: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/robotaxi-backup-18293208.php https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/robotaxi-backup-...
glimshe 3y ago
One more reason to not visit San Francisco. Self-driving cars with a human inside is one thing, but the government should require an Airliner/Space Shuttle-class reliability and testing investment to let cars loose like that.
- xnx 3y ago
  We don't require this standard of human drivers. As evidence, note the 40,000 deaths/year.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - ChatGTP 3y ago
    I read some statistics that per mile, humans are actually pretty safe. I read somewhere on average Americans spend 70 billion hours a year driving. That is a lot of driving.
    - xnx 3y ago
      > I read some statistics that per mile, humans are actually pretty safe. "we could be worse" is cold comfort to those affected (maimed or killed) by car crashes > I read somewhere on average Americans spend 70 billion hours a year driving. That is a lot of driving. That is a lot of driving! I look forward to seeing what more productive use we put that time to when computers are doing the driving.
      - ChatGTP 3y ago
        Never refuted anything you said, I'm just saying big numbers can look really big when there is nothing to compare them too. That is a lot of driving! I look forward to seeing what more productive use we put that time to when computers are doing the driving. Instagram and YouTube for most people, and you know it.
        xnx 3y ago
        Definitely. As a society we've accepted that 40,000 dead/year is an acceptable cost for the utility of driving. Hopefully, self-driving cars will make us look back and think how ridiculous that was. I don't expect people will be using extra discretionary time on car rides any differently than they do with that time now, but I'm glad they'll have the choice.
        jessekv 3y ago
        I appreciate your enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles, but to be fair, there are many things that could be done to improve road safety without self-driving tech. Personally I love the independence and self-determination that comes with driving. I'd rather roads were much safer. I don't really want to be part of the WALL•E-esque future you describe. (But I'd happy to hear a counter-argument or further elaboration of what you'd like to see happen.)
  - ghusto 3y ago
    We don't require it from pears, so we shouldn't require it from apples?
ourmandave 3y ago
The SF Fire Dept hates these things when they become random bricks and block emergency responders. The San Francisco Fire Department “strongly disagrees” with California Public Utilities Commission’s decision to expand driverless vehicles in the city. The department released a statement below on Friday. The Fire Department strongly disagrees with yesterday’s CPUC decision to allow commercial operations by the autonomous vehicle companies in San Francisco. We believe the ruling ignores public safety and emergency response interference that we presented to the Commission this week. The decision permits industry expansion without solving any of the underlying problems. We do not believe the industry has any incentive to remain at the table and solve their problems. These incidents with Public Safety are not going away and are in fact increasing. The Fire Department will continue to work with our Citypartners and the industry – if they remain willing – to improve the safety of the streets and community by improving the robotaxis ability to drive safely. The San Francisco Fire Department is not against modernization and new technologies but, any vehicle that endangers the people of the City and its visitors in danger and would put its passengers between a fire engine and a fire is not ready for prime time. CAPTAIN JONATHAN BAXTER, SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT
- xnx 3y ago
  When widespread, self-driving vehicles should make the work of emergency services much easier: 1) Far fewer accidents that emergency services has to respond to 2) Perfect and immediate compliance to the sound of sirens (I regularly see human drivers fail to pull over for emergency vehicles)
greenyoda 3y ago
Earlier discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37106044 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37106044

12 points by pg_1234 3y ago

It would seem that a draconian network reliability KPP would be needed, along with an intensive test plan. The ripple effects of a jacked up system would dwarf the cost of such a test plan.

jwilk 3y ago

"This content is not available in your country/region." Archived copy: https://web.archive.org/web/20230813084719/https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/video-cruise-cars-halt-traffic-in-sf-cite-connectivity-issues-linked-to-outside-lands-festival/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230813084719/https://www.kron4...

gorbachev 3y ago
Also: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/robotaxi-backup-18293208.php https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/robotaxi-backup-...

glimshe 3y ago

One more reason to not visit San Francisco. Self-driving cars with a human inside is one thing, but the government should require an Airliner/Space Shuttle-class reliability and testing investment to let cars loose like that.

xnx 3y ago
We don't require this standard of human drivers. As evidence, note the 40,000 deaths/year.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- ChatGTP 3y ago
  I read some statistics that per mile, humans are actually pretty safe. I read somewhere on average Americans spend 70 billion hours a year driving. That is a lot of driving.
  - xnx 3y ago
    > I read some statistics that per mile, humans are actually pretty safe. "we could be worse" is cold comfort to those affected (maimed or killed) by car crashes > I read somewhere on average Americans spend 70 billion hours a year driving. That is a lot of driving. That is a lot of driving! I look forward to seeing what more productive use we put that time to when computers are doing the driving.
    - ChatGTP 3y ago
      Never refuted anything you said, I'm just saying big numbers can look really big when there is nothing to compare them too. That is a lot of driving! I look forward to seeing what more productive use we put that time to when computers are doing the driving. Instagram and YouTube for most people, and you know it.
      - xnx 3y ago
        Definitely. As a society we've accepted that 40,000 dead/year is an acceptable cost for the utility of driving. Hopefully, self-driving cars will make us look back and think how ridiculous that was. I don't expect people will be using extra discretionary time on car rides any differently than they do with that time now, but I'm glad they'll have the choice.
        jessekv 3y ago
        I appreciate your enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles, but to be fair, there are many things that could be done to improve road safety without self-driving tech. Personally I love the independence and self-determination that comes with driving. I'd rather roads were much safer. I don't really want to be part of the WALL•E-esque future you describe. (But I'd happy to hear a counter-argument or further elaboration of what you'd like to see happen.)
- ghusto 3y ago
  We don't require it from pears, so we shouldn't require it from apples?

ourmandave 3y ago

The SF Fire Dept hates these things when they become random bricks and block emergency responders. The San Francisco Fire Department “strongly disagrees” with California Public Utilities Commission’s decision to expand driverless vehicles in the city. The department released a statement below on Friday. The Fire Department strongly disagrees with yesterday’s CPUC decision to allow commercial operations by the autonomous vehicle companies in San Francisco. We believe the ruling ignores public safety and emergency response interference that we presented to the Commission this week. The decision permits industry expansion without solving any of the underlying problems. We do not believe the industry has any incentive to remain at the table and solve their problems. These incidents with Public Safety are not going away and are in fact increasing. The Fire Department will continue to work with our Citypartners and the industry – if they remain willing – to improve the safety of the streets and community by improving the robotaxis ability to drive safely. The San Francisco Fire Department is not against modernization and new technologies but, any vehicle that endangers the people of the City and its visitors in danger and would put its passengers between a fire engine and a fire is not ready for prime time. CAPTAIN JONATHAN BAXTER, SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT

xnx 3y ago
When widespread, self-driving vehicles should make the work of emergency services much easier: 1) Far fewer accidents that emergency services has to respond to 2) Perfect and immediate compliance to the sound of sirens (I regularly see human drivers fail to pull over for emergency vehicles)

greenyoda 3y ago

Earlier discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37106044 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37106044