Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakemono
Very true, thats a risk but thats why I want to have the ability to switch the system off and driving manually.
You spoke of driver de-skilling. Considering all the bad drivers who I encounter on the roads every day who are playing on their phone, doing their makeup, eating while driving and all in all just not paying attention when they are driving you have to ask yourself, whats the bigger risk: human drivers or computer drivers?
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Which is precisely why, as motoring has become ubiquitous, and taken for granted as a "Right" of participation, then the automobile has made itself self-obsolescent. Henry Ford's vision fulfilled, yet turned into a nightmare...
Perhaps the most profound analysis of this problem was made on TV by the late Kenneth Williams in a chat show, years back.
The host asked Williams "Do you drive?".
He replied, "Oh not anymore darling: it is rather like farting. It's lovely when you do it, but not much fun when everyone else does!"
When I was young (A few centuries ago!), we viewed driving as a privilege and bad driving as a crime. Above all else we wanted to develop superior driving skills and considered it an artform: not simply a utility and alternative to public transport.
Furthermore, our cars (Old) cost a bomb and we had to spend weekends mending and improving them. Workshop bills were for the wealthy!
Therefore, our car was a unique and precious possession.
Not today, sadly. This lack of respect for the privilege and machine has led to utter contempt for everyone else on the road.
Fortunately, for the few determined types, our passion enabled competitive driving skills to be even more developed by rallying, circuit racing etc.
Clearly, therefore, the future lies in converting main communication arteries (freeways, motorways, autoroutes) into mass transportation systems. Fully robotic.
Pause and consider: the automobile is a major cause of ground level atmospheric pollution: plus mankind is burning non-replaceable fossil fuel to power it. As a sop, major auto manufacturers developed hybrids as a middle step. But clearly, the future lies in small electrically driven vehicles. Yet these suffer small range. Fine for towns and cities: useless for major inter-town commutes.
Plus the electricity to recharge the electrically powered car must be developed!
If all cars were electrically powered, then Western electricity generation systems would collapse.
A majority are still powered by a mix of coal and oil: with nuclear and alternatives making up a small proportion.
Sad to say, however it is abundantly clear to me that the day of the IC engined automobile as an everyday personal conveyance is past...