Comments on: Truck And Car Platoons Could Allow For Autonomous Driving http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/ Jonesing For Robot News Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:44:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dan http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/comment-page-1/#comment-5607 Dan Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:19:26 +0000 http://www.botjunkie.com/?p=3301#comment-5607 @ Evan Yes -- the transitions would be my main concern. We see on the highways how simple things like cell phones and radios can distract a driver. Unless you have a system that can fully take over (or at least safely disable the vehicle) in the event that the driver is unresponsive when then "need" to be in charge, it's a failure in my opinion. We need to provide people with safer technologies, not more liabilities. If they, as a result of this study, come up with a very safe manner to handle all conceivable contingencies, then I'll reconsider my stance. @ Evan
Yes — the transitions would be my main concern. We see on the highways how simple things like cell phones and radios can distract a driver. Unless you have a system that can fully take over (or at least safely disable the vehicle) in the event that the driver is unresponsive when then “need” to be in charge, it’s a failure in my opinion.

We need to provide people with safer technologies, not more liabilities. If they, as a result of this study, come up with a very safe manner to handle all conceivable contingencies, then I’ll reconsider my stance.

]]> By: Spikey DaPikey http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/comment-page-1/#comment-5585 Spikey DaPikey Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:42:34 +0000 http://www.botjunkie.com/?p=3301#comment-5585 If i don't have enough to worry about when on my motorbike ! If i don’t have enough to worry about when on my motorbike !

]]> By: Evan Ackerman http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/comment-page-1/#comment-5581 Evan Ackerman Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:39:49 +0000 http://www.botjunkie.com/?p=3301#comment-5581 @ Dan You mean, just because of the transitions in and out of the platoon? @ Dan

You mean, just because of the transitions in and out of the platoon?

]]> By: Dan http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/comment-page-1/#comment-5578 Dan Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:17:02 +0000 http://www.botjunkie.com/?p=3301#comment-5578 @Anastasios Correct, which is why I agree the study has some merit. It's actually been done before by the CMU NavLab -- back in the 80s. The live demo they did in CA went flawlessly -- it was never implemented because you need either a fully autonomous system or a fully human one. Hybrid solutions still require too much responsibility from the human drive while implying a lower attentiveness requirement. That puts the hybrid (human+robot) vehicle at high risk, thus jeopardizing the safety for all drivers... @Anastasios

Correct, which is why I agree the study has some merit. It’s actually been done before by the CMU NavLab — back in the 80s. The live demo they did in CA went flawlessly — it was never implemented because you need either a fully autonomous system or a fully human one. Hybrid solutions still require too much responsibility from the human drive while implying a lower attentiveness requirement.

That puts the hybrid (human+robot) vehicle at high risk, thus jeopardizing the safety for all drivers…

]]> By: Anastasios-Antonios Toulkeridis http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/comment-page-1/#comment-5574 Anastasios-Antonios Toulkeridis Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:11:28 +0000 http://www.botjunkie.com/?p=3301#comment-5574 Dan, r u referring to traditional..um..trains?. As i recall no traditional train drives one straight home Dan, r u referring to traditional..um..trains?.
As i recall no traditional train drives one straight home

]]> By: Dan http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/11/12/truck-and-car-platoons-could-allow-for-autonomous-driving/comment-page-1/#comment-5569 Dan Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:43:32 +0000 http://www.botjunkie.com/?p=3301#comment-5569 I can see how this could be useful in some cases, but isn't there a technology that's been around a lot longer -- called the train...? If you're going to have "dumb" vehicles that don't do waypoint navigation and simply follow the leader, then separate locomotion systems for each car in the platoon seems wasteful. The other great thing about trains is the separation is automatically maintained... you just have to be careful when crossing an intersection - slow down for yellow and all that. I can see how this could be useful in some cases, but isn’t there a technology that’s been around a lot longer — called the train…? If you’re going to have “dumb” vehicles that don’t do waypoint navigation and simply follow the leader, then separate locomotion systems for each car in the platoon seems wasteful.

The other great thing about trains is the separation is automatically maintained… you just have to be careful when crossing an intersection – slow down for yellow and all that.

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