[Quietcars] Auto Pilot coming to cars soon?

Mon Nov 9 22:30:37 UTC 2009

That sounds really promising. I have no doubt that computer controlled anti
crash systems will ultimately be standard and reliable features on all cars.
In the meantime, we'll probably need to work through several generations of
such devices before they're sufficiently reliable and plentiful to be
trusted. Since a generation in computing power lasts only a year and a half,
the wait may be shorter than we can now imagine.
There was a time when a computer larger than most houses had less power than
the average cell phone. I remember the days of punch cards and waiting
twenty-four hours or more to check the results of a computer program. We
would be foolish to discount the potential of computer guided crash
prevention. I hope it comes soon.
Parenthetically, one of the spin offs of such technology could be driverless
cars, or cars that could be driven by non visual means. 

-----Original Message-----
From: quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:quietcars-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Robert Wilson
Sent: November 8, 2009 8:38 PM
To: quietcars at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Quietcars] Auto Pilot coming to cars soon?

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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