[Nfbmo] Fw: Driverless Cars Could Transform Auto Industry

[James Moynihan]

Fellow Federationists

This is a very interesting topic.

Cordially,

Jim Moynihan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Neuman, Dale A." <NeumanD at umkc.edu>
To: "James Moynihan" <jamesmmoynihan at gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 8:07 AM
Subject: RE: [Nfbmo] Driverless Cars Could Transform Auto Industry


Jim,

I have been following this for a time now. All of the proposals that I have 
seen stipulate that a licensed driver must be at the wheel available to take 
over should the system fail or to deal with any emergency not anticipated by 
the auto-pilot. It is also unlikely to work smoothly in congested city 
traffic where lanes may be blocked temporarily. I also see issues in dealing 
with the unanticipated---like the time I had to swerve my car in front of 
the car behind me from running over a child that had fallen out of the car 
in front of me and into the adjacent lane. The driver behind me started to 
accelerate to pass  on the right and would have run over the kid had he not 
had to stop to avoid hitting my car. Had I not seen his move in my rear view 
mirror I could not have placed my car between his and the kid. He was angry 
with me until he saw the kid in the road.

Dale

Dale A. Neuman
Director, Harry S Truman Center for Governmental Affairs
Special Projects Associate, College of Arts and Sciences
Professor Emeritus of Political Science
816-235-2787
FAX 816-235-5191
Neumand at umkc.edu

________________________________________
From: James Moynihan [jamesmmoynihan at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 4:57 AM
To: Neuman, Dale A.
Subject: Fw: [Nfbmo] Driverless Cars Could Transform Auto Industry

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Lynn" <freespirit at accessibleworld.org>
To: "nfbmo list" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 11:04 PM
Subject: [Nfbmo] Driverless Cars Could Transform Auto Industry


>
> Hi all, I got this from a friend, and thought I'd pass it on.  Driverless
> Cars Could Transform Auto Industry
> Yes, come on Michigan, pass the law.
> Driverless technology could transform auto industry By Alisa Priddle
> Detroit Free Press Business Writer It could be 20 years before
> self-driving cars become
> mainstream, but the technology could transform the auto industry and
> transportation in general, speakers said at the first-ever Driverless
> Car Summit in
> Detroit on Tuesday.
>
> The impact on the industry could be huge as we move towards vehicles
> that drive themselves," said Gary Smyth, head of the North American
> Science Labs at
> General Motors. What we do in the next five to 10 years in this
> industry will be critical.
>
> There are already vehicles on the road loaded with radar, sensors and
> other technology that allow them to steer, accelerate and brake based
> on signals from
> their surroundings.
>
> The impact on humanity would be huge," Smyth said.
>
> Autonomous driving addresses such global issues as urbanization,
> congestion, safety, the environment and connected living, Smyth said.
> It could enhance
> freedom for older drivers and open new avenues for those who have never
> driven before, such as the blind.
>
> It is pretty powerful to do this," said Mark Riccobono, executive
> director of the National Federation of the Blind, who made history in
> January 2011 by
> becoming the first legally blind person to drive. He piloted a Ford
> Escape around the Daytona Speedway, a feat made possible by new
> technology in the car.
> For the blind population, "this is our going to the moon," Riccobono
> said.
>
> Google has developed a fleet of self-driving cars, each decked out with
> about $150,000 of equipment. Google has logged 250,000 test miles, said
> tech lead
> Chris Urmson.
>
> Urmson hopes the technology is mainstreamed sooner than the 20-year
> forecasts offered by some summit attendees.
>
> I'm trying to push it ahead," he said, adding the hurdles are not
> legislation or technology, but consumer acceptance.
>
> Google has lobbied to get Nevada and California to pass laws governing
> self-driving cars. Similar bills have been introduced in Florida,
> Hawaii and Oklahoma.
>
>
> Michigan has yet to pursue legislation, but Gov. Rick Snyder said he is
> a proponent of driverless cars as the next logical step toward
> efficient mobility.
>
>
> I'd be happy to look at it," Snyder said at the two-day conference
> organized by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems
> International.
>
> The mandate of the summit is to lay out a foundation for driverless
> cars for the next 10 years, said Michael Toscano, president of AUVSI.
>
> Snyder offered Michigan's partnership and support. Because he must now
> be chauffeured as governor, he said he has come to appreciate the
> ability to use
> drive time to get work done. We need to be careful of what's on the
> road but other states have gone forward," Snyder told reporters after
> his speech. We're
> the motor state and we should be thoughtful and move forward on things
> like that.
>
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