7 replies to this topic

[rayzoredge]

Source

I think that this new technology would actually make congested city driving much more tolerable in terms of the stress over potential fender-benders and other front-based hazards. Wouldn't work for us New Englanders with the winter driving though... City Safe would not be Winter Safe... not to mention hot-coffee-without-a-lid safe.

[rvalkass]

The article mentions that the car stopped about 3 feet short of the little posts. If you're trying to park in a tight space, you might get a bit annoyed with the brakes continually applying mid-maneuver! However, it should make driving slowly in traffic a lot safer and avoid the little bumps and scrapes from people who don't quite notice the traffic stopped again.

Quote

not to mention hot-coffee-without-a-lid safe.

You should never drink and drive

[buxgoddess]

rayzoredge, on Jan 23 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

Source

I think that this new technology would actually make congested city driving much more tolerable in terms of the stress over potential fender-benders and other front-based hazards. Wouldn't work for us New Englanders with the winter driving though... City Safe would not be Winter Safe... not to mention hot-coffee-without-a-lid safe.

The first time I saw an automated road traffic system was in Singapore. The system is so built that cars plying on the roads will have the speed monitored and also there is a metering system whereby traffic will be charged during various hours of the day at prescribed rates. These vehicles had GPRS system installed in most of them and Mercedes were used as cabs.
The system would allow the traffic to flow in a dynamic pattern and will allow the traffic in a systematic manner to avoid any confrssion and jam. Singapore recently installed the electronic road pricing ERP system. The tecnique used is to install a small chip in the windscreen of the vehicle which will be debited of the tarriff of running the vehicle on the road.
It leads to a safety system also as the driver knows that he is under surveylence whenever he is in the vehicle.

[Echo_of_thunder]

rayzoredge, on Jan 23 2009, 01:24 PM, said:

Source

I think that this new technology would actually make congested city driving much more tolerable in terms of the stress over potential fender-benders and other front-based hazards. Wouldn't work for us New Englanders with the winter driving though... City Safe would not be Winter Safe... not to mention hot-coffee-without-a-lid safe.

well after reading the source it sounds all good and neat but, they have been trying to do this for years. Honestly though there is nothing that will ever replace human judgement. Only my feelings I am sure but that is just how I feel of this.

[networker]

I'd say it's a step in the right direction.If everyone where driving
Volvos though, I think people might feel too safe to bother
signaling,especially around busy shopping malls.
What does that matter though, as it is too many people don't signal anyway.
Time will tell.

[k_nitin_r]

rayzoredge, on Jan 23 2009, 09:24 PM, said:

Source

I think that this new technology would actually make congested city driving much more tolerable in terms of the stress over potential fender-benders and other front-based hazards. Wouldn't work for us New Englanders with the winter driving though... City Safe would not be Winter Safe... not to mention hot-coffee-without-a-lid safe.

Mercedes has tried to demonstrate a similar technology last year with 3 cars following each other. However, during the demonstration, the cars failed to stop. The engineers scratched their heads over the accident and concluded that it must be due to the steel in the walls of the basement that caused the system to malfunction. The technology has still a long way to go before it'll be successful enough to automate the brakes of a vehicle.

Regards,
Nitin Reddy

[kagerioshu]

I don't mean to sound cynical about this, but I think the moment human judgment is replaced completely for a task is when the purpose of the task will fail to suit human needs.

Specifically speaking, I mean a computer should add to human judgment, not replace it. If a car is going to drive humans, then why not just have the computers define where the cars will go in the first place and how they'll drive there to prevent errors incorporated by chance due to the randomness of choosing a destination and controlling any aspect of the vehicle? Oh wait, if that happens, what's the point of getting in a car? Even a train is controlled by human judgment, it's just a matter of having a linear travel path...

[iGuest]

driving in snowVolvo's City Safe

I have a 1999 Volvo S70 I am wondering how safe and relilable they are drving in the snow. I live in Philadelphia and we got 22 inchs of snow. I drove yesterday during the storm and was able to get out of the spot I parked in yesterday afternoon. I love the snow and need to run errands today. How safe are they?

-reply by Elia