Driverless Cars

[Gale Hawkins]

Ever see a plane land on a carrier at night using auto pilot?

In a storm?

No, I was an AT for four years but never set foot on any ship. My sea duty was Rota Spain with VQ-2.

Our main plane was the P-3 but did have a couple A-3 for carrier use.

I do not see the white line more than as a visual aid for humans. Since it is there it currently serves as an aid in building prototype technology that will lead to self driving cars in a couple decades.

Electrical steering is an example of technology that needed to be put into cars becoming all electric. Our 2010 F-150 is the last year of the old steering technology for example. Engine controls have been managed by computers for years already.

A carrier has a lot equipment enabling the plane to land at night in a storm and that will morph into new self driving vehicle technology just like we got anti locking and disc brakes from military development.

My son was just telling me they are coming out with piston driven engines with variable rod lengths so they can change compression ratios on the fly. I guess fuel based engines are going to be around for a while longer.

Technology is going to save us unless it kills us first.

 

[Redneck in training]

I used to work often in Pilbara (Western part of Australia). The area is remote with low population. Most people who work there are FiFo (Fly in Fly out). The iron mines have self driving trucks for years. It is apparently cheaper and possibly safer than drivers. Driverless trucks roam Australian mines • The Register
Autonomous driving trucks increasing productivity in Pilbara Mine - Rio Tinto

 

[3930dave]

What that's going to mean is a bunch of people who rarely drive suddenly trying to in the worst conditions. ...... Reminds me of something I read where the younger generations can't read the hands of a clock. All they've seen is digital displays so they had no need.

Your first point above is one of the key concerns I have, with people's abilities declining. Sure, some people still got lost using maps in the old daze.... but some of the lost/stuck/dead scenarios with GPS seem worse.

I was thinking the other day.... "Should I even use the term "clockwise" around young people anymore ?".... :confused3:

"Quick ! Turn that red-handled valve 90 degrees clockwise !"......

"AAAAAHHHHHH"........ :fiery:

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I can just imagine the supervisors pulling their hair out when twenty trucks come to a grinding halt.

That's the other-side of the sword....... Tech often has 2 states..... All Good/Everything Working, or NOTHING Works.

I remember a pilot on here talking about being happy when he was finally able to ditch all the paper maps he had to carry.

A month or 3 later, commercial aviation was grounded for a while (OK, not days) because of ONE piece of data that was out of sync....... I get why that needs to happen, database wise.... but the only guys flying had paper maps.

Rgds, D.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

McDonald's employees found out a kiosk was the answer to 15$ /hour wage demands.

Speaking of robots. Anyone been seeing them at WalMart more and more?

There is a new robot at WM and I think it is a floor cleaner. I use the kiosk at McDonalds when I am just getting coffee but the 1/4 pound patties only are on the a la carte menu so I have to deal with a person.

Their regular patties are 1/6 pound and like $1 each and locally 1/4 pound which by the way is fresh never frozen beef are $1.20 each. I get asked over and over by new staff is it the the 1/6 or 1/4 option that they see on their screen. One day a young person behind the counter was upset because she got her case jumped for not dumping out the tea on time. I am like OK??? She said the only clocks in the back had hands so she ever knew what time it was. We did teach our kids how to read clocks with hands and do fractions.

 

[3930dave]

I've done that myself, especially during or just after a storm when it hasn't been well plowed yet. Beats drifting off the (barely visible) edge and into the ditch. Of course I pull to the right when someone's coming the other way.

The middle of your country, and mine, has vast areas of open space..... you can watch your dog run away for 2 or 3 days.....

Even w/o that much open space, I've seen rural roads through big-field country where your only real reference is the utility poles on the side of the road, during or after a major snow-storm....

Not easy to code for, when most frames of reference don't exist.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

But plans don't crash if they are off course by 3 feet.

Bruce

Vertical Delta @ 3'...... might make for a bumpy landing.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I used to work often in Pilbara (Western part of Australia). The area is remote with low population. Most people who work there are FiFo (Fly in Fly out). The iron mines have self driving trucks for years. It is apparently cheaper and possibly safer than drivers. Driverless trucks roam Australian mines The Register
Autonomous driving trucks increasing productivity in Pilbara Mine - Rio Tinto

Humans get paid big $, to do even basic tasks, at those remote sites. So yes, that's definitely going to be a big target for automation.

And.... that's just looking at the direct compensation...... once you look at govt incentives to kill human jobs (Invest in tech/Capital Equipment = Get a Tax Write-Off..... vs. ..... Hire One Human = Massive Payroll Taxes. At least, that's the way it works here....), then the picture is even worse.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

She said the only clocks in the back had hands so she ever knew what time it was.

Just glanced outside..... Yep, that's the 4 Horsemen I'm seeing

I will no longer use Clockwise terminology, on anybody who looks a day under 40....

Rgds, D.

 

[Jstpssng]

Woke up today to freezing rain/ hail. The roads were white so there's no way to see any markings. I dread the day of self driving cars being the norm as I can't see how they will ever be able to drive in these conditions. GPS would need to take a major step forward in accuracy. What that's going to mean is a bunch of people who rarely drive suddenly trying to in the worst conditions. Can't see how that would end in failure. Reminds me of something I read where the younger generations can't read the hands of a clock. All they've seen is digital displays so they had no need.

You are missing the point; from a road management standpoint we should all stay home until the plows have time to clear the roads.
I can't imagine taking a day off every time the roads are a little snowy; today, yesterday, possibly tomorrow...

Imagine the uproar if Ron Reagan or Bill Clinton had mandated that everybody wear a tracking device, and check into a central office every night telling what we accomplished. Yet now we have FB, cell phones, OnStar, et.al. accomplishing the same thing...

With vehicles getting better fuel economy there is talk of finding a better way to pay for our roads. One "solution" is to put a tracking device into every vehicle, to tell how far you drive. I have an odometer which would accomplish the same thing.
A few years ago I was in the auto parts store, where they were advertising a tracking device "to tell where your teenage kids are driving, or find out if your spouse is cheating." I told the female clerk (who I had been flirting with for several months) that whether or not it was justified or not that would be automatic grounds for divorce.