[Quietcars] Auto Pilot coming to cars soon?

[Robert Wilson]

Hi,

This is the first year that the top of the line Prius has offered:

(1) accident avoidance radar-camera - tightens seat belt and applies brakes if an accident is about to happen
(2) lane following - keeps the car from wandering across the lanes or off the roadway (on to walkways)
(3) automatic cruise control - paces to the vehicle in front and speeds up or slows down the car to maintain a safe following distance

The problem is this system is available only on the top of the line Prius, not all versions. So far, there has been only one report of a false positive from a bridge expansion joint on up slope of an approaching bridge deck. A very brief incident, it was over about the time the driver realized what was happening and never posed a risk.

At the Detroit Auto Show in January, I saw the Denso lane following system that also recognizes pedestrians and reads traffic signs including speed limits. As the car proceeded through the narrow, Japanese streets, the pedestrians walking towards the projected path were outlined.

What these systems do is augment the driver with a never tired, never intoxicated, and faster-than-human electronic eyes and radar. They not only protect pedestrians but also the car. It is a win-win approach that ultimately works for gas as well as hybrid electric vehicles. 

Bob Wilson

> From: gabias at telus.net
> To: quietcars at nfbnet.org
> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 11:22:15 -0800
> Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Auto Pilot coming to cars soon?
> 
> It's obvious from that article that we're a long way from having reliable
> auto mobiles, those which can go from place to place without any
> intervention beyond the initial programming. Although computers do what they
> do exceedingly well, they're totally lacking in judgment; they can't tell a
> false alarm from the real thing and continue blithely along making errors
> until their program corrects itself or is corrected.
> In theory, if a computer could reliably prevent a car from touching any
> other object, either pedestrian, automotive, or stationary, we would all be
> better off. Until that fine day comes, I'm with you. Quiet cars aren't the
> only travel hazards we need to consider.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of michael townsend
> Sent: November 8, 2009 5:27 AM
> To: quietcars at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Quietcars] Auto Pilot coming to cars soon?
> Sensitivity: Personal
> 
> 
> You walk about now worrying about hybrids not making enough noise?  How
> about a plan to allow cars to go on auto pilot?  Planes do.  Rec3ently we've
> heard about two Northwest pilots who were out of touch with their control
> towers for 78 minutes.  They finally got their headsets back on, turned the
> ship around and headed back to Minneapolis.  They lost their licenses for
> their misdeeds.  How about the following there articles and their
> consequences?  Should we blind, disabled, hearing impaired, elderly,
> everyone who walks around or drives, petition the carmakers to cease
> thinking about the following:
> 
> Mike T in NJ
> http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2007/11/car-autopilot-t.html
> http://www.motherproof.com/advice-safety/story/auto-pilot-mode-in-cars-could
> -help-families-stay-safe/
> http://jalopnik.com/122509/gm-to-launch-auto-pilot-of-sorts-on-2008-opel-vec
> tra
> 
> 
> 
> "I am accustomed to hearing malicious falsehoods about myself...but I think
> I have a right to resent, to object to, libelous statements about my dog."
> -Franklin D. Roosevelt Mike Townsend and Seeing Eye dog Brent Dunellen, New
> Jersey  08812
> emails:  mrtownsend at optonline.net; 
> michael.townsend54 at gmail.com
> Home Phone:  732  200-5643
> Cellular:  732  718-9480
>  
> 
> 
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