[Nfbf-l] Nevada allows driverless cars

[Kirk]

Dwight, I read this about a week ago! Just imagine if this fleet is 
successful, which I feel it will be as it has been in California already for 
3 years. After the Google fleet of unmanned cars drives the streets of 
Nevada, then it will just make it easier for other states to rally for it in 
their states, don't you think? This is simply awesome! The possibility of 
getting the freedom to drive anywhere we please again at our own whim is 
simply unbelievable, right? Just think of how it will improve our ability to 
take  jobs, advocate by having freedom to travel at a moments notice, etc.! 
Thanks for sending it out to all, Kirk





Kirk Harmon
DA V national blind chapter
Life member

BVA/FRG
Life member

NFB & FCB
member
" A smile can change a persons life, try it sometime!"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <REPCODDS at aol.com>
To: <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; <nfbf-leaders at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2012 2:15 PM
Subject: [Nfbf-l] Nevada allows driverless cars


Nevada allows Google  to test driverless cars on public streets



The  Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles has granted Google permission to
begin  testing a fleet of driverless cars. Look for the red license  plates.
By Matthew Shaer  / May 8, 2012
·
(http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/content/2012/0420-googlecar/12495429-1-eng-US/0420-googlecar_full_600.jpg)
Google has received permission to begin testing driverless  cars in Nevada.
Here, an image from the program that steers the cars,  courtesy of the
Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.
_According_
(http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/may/07/nevada-issues-google-first-license-self-driving-ca/) 
to the _Las  Vegas Sun_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Las+Vegas+Sun) , _Google_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2012/0125/Google-speeds-toward-a-future-with-driverless-cars
)  has received permission from the _Nevada_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Nevada)  state _Department of Motor 
Vehicles_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Department+of+Motor+Vehicles)  to 
immediately begin testing a
fleet of _driverless cars_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2012/0125/Google-speeds-toward-a-future-with-driverless-cars) 
on public
streets. The Sun says six  autonomous cars have been outfitted by the team 
at
Google: six _Toyota  Priuses_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Toyota+Prius) , an _Audi TT_ 
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Audi+TT)   and a
_Lexus_ (http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Lexus+Motor+Company)  RX450h. 
All
the driverless cars will receive red  license plates, with an infinity 
symbol
on the left of the plate.
“I  felt using the infinity symbol was the best way to represent the car of
the  future," Bruce Breslow, the director of the Nevada DMV, _said_
(http://www.dmvnv.com/news/12005-autonomous-vehicle-licensed.htm)  in a 
statement.
"The unique red plate will be easily  recognized by the public and law
enforcement and will be used only for  licensed autonomous test vehicles."
So  should we be scared? Are hacker-controller robot cars about to overrun
the  _United  States_ (http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/United+States) ?
Breslow  said that Google's petition was approved only after a special DMV
delegation  – apparently dubbed, in a nice Orwellian twist, the Autonomous
Review  Committee – thoroughly reviewed the company's "safety plans, 
employee
 training, system functions and accident reporting mechanisms." And each
car  bristles with a range of sensors and computer equipment, which can 
sense
obstacles such as other cars, bicycles, and  guardrails.
Furthermore,  as Sky News _notes_
(http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16223807) , the cars are not 
really driverless. At least  two Google
employees will be required to sit in each vehicle. Those  employees have the
ability to override the computer  controls.
In  related news, the _Federal Aviation Administration_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Federal+Aviation+Administration) 
recently _gave_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0629/Flying-Car-just-like-the-Jetsons-gets-gre
en-light-from-FAA-VIDEO)  official approval to a flying car – or "roadable
aircraft" called the _Terrafugia_
(http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Terrafugia+Inc.) 's Transistion. It's 
all happening, folks:  Driverless cars,
flying cars.
Someone  go fetch _Astro_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Jetsons_characters#Astro) .
Source:   The Christian Science Monitor








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