[nfbmi-talk] Fwd: [indiana-l] TECHNOLOGY BLIND MAN CHOSEN AS FIRST PERSON TO TEST GOOGLE'S DRIVERLESS CAR

[Kane Brolin]

Again, I got this from the Indiana-focused mailing list of the
American Council of the Blind.  Not our organization, but it's
interesting to see how the momentum from the Federation's work on the
Blind Driver Challenge has kept blind people in the forefront of this
Google project, too.

Personally, my preference is for the blind person himself or herself
to be able to exert most of the control over the driving process.  But
if multiple ideas for improving blind people's lives are competing for
headlines and dollars, and if it is made affordable, I don't see the
Google "driverless car" as necessarily a bad thing.  FYI.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rita Kersh via indiana-l <indiana-l at acblists.org>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:34:56 +0000
Subject: [indiana-l] TECHNOLOGY BLIND MAN CHOSEN AS FIRST PERSON TO
TEST GOOGLE'S DRIVERLESS CAR
To: Indiana list <Indiana-l at acblists.org>
Cc: Rita Kersh <hoosierrita at gmail.com>


BLIND MAN CHOSEN AS FIRST PERSON TO TEST GOOGLE'S DRIVERLESS CAR

A blind man became the first person chosen to give Google's
self-driving car a test ride after the federal government redefined
what it means to be a driver on Wednesday.

By  <http://abc7news.com/about/newsteam/jonathan-bloom> Jonathan Bloom

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 07:23PM

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) --

A blind man became the first person chosen to give Google's
self-driving car a test ride after the federal government redefined
what it means to be a driver on Wednesday.

For Steve Mahan, traveling across town requires planning.

He lives two miles from the nearest bus stop and when his family is at
work he relies on the VTA Paratransit Service.

That's why a ride he took three years ago was so magical. "Look mom,
no hands," he said.

For the first time since he became blind, Mahan sat in the driver's
seat of a Google self-driving car and that's about all he did.

But California rules say autonomous cars still need a licensed driver
and Mahan can't get a driver's license. "If it is required to have a
licensed human driver in the car, it means I could not go any place in
that vehicle without someone accompanying me," Mahan said.

It would throw on the brakes for Google's next project -- cars without
regular controls.

But now, in a letter to Google, federal regulators made a key
clarification where the law refers to a driver as not having to be
human.

Tech futurist Paul Saffo said it doesn't clear up other legal requirements.

Robotic cars, for instance, still have to have mirrors. "The rear view
mirror was unnecessary for me, the side mirrors were unnecessary for
me," Mahan said.

But if California follows the federal government's lead, it means
people like Mahan could have more independence.

Mahan said he doesn't miss the pedals or steering wheel one bit. "It's
like riding with a fabulous driver," Mahan said. "Anybody who spends
five minutes out in that traffic will realize that the danger are the
humans. Personally I can't wait for the robots to start driving."