Robot Cars

[jjuran]

This happens to every technology. Some people when they drive are merely operating a machine, and will be glad to hand over control to an autonomous system that they're satisfied does at least as good a job. Few people write assembler code these days.

But for others there's an element of recreation, sport, or artistry, and they will continue to practice the craft long after it becomes 'obsolete'. There will always be those who enjoy auto racing, or horse riding, or even writing assembler.

[computerjantje]

It usually takes more then a genration to completely loose something. the good thing is that the ones who miss it are dead by then. the robotcar like you describe it, will come for sure but I think replacing manual driving totally will go slow like most new things make old things disapear slowly.

[cjames987]

Huh very interesting. Hopefully WWIII does not kill everyone before then with nuclear bombs. If so I hope you and I survive and have to start civilization all over again.

[wstoner]

The art of writing is somewhat lost to this age of electronic communication. In my great-grandparents day they would send tons of postcards with messages like we text or email meow.

GM will be lucky if they are here in 10 years.

[billkeele]

yea i get wher u r coming from i could not stand having a car that drove it self

[dasilva94]

I know I must sound like an old fogey :), but I am aware of the iniquities concerning gender and race that existed in even the recent past, and am glad there has been progress to rectify them, but I think to use a cliché, it's a pity to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

[dasilva94]

Now while I do write in cursive, I'm in awe looking at the calligraphy of my grandfather and people of his generation.

I know there's no hope of returning to their artful writing , but it would be nice to halt the slide before we all descend into illiterate speak, as seen for example in the worst comments in Youtube, to use an example.

[dasilva94]

I'm really surprised that most Americans cannot already drive a manual (stick shift as you say in the US), plus the weird need to print on side view mirrors the text 'Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear'

Such signs seem to presume, complete stupidity on the driver, this message doesn't exist out side of America.

Plus here in Europe most cars are manual, which means more fuel efficiency, but even more importantly I think teaches car control that an Automatic never will.

[dasilva94]

cont.

Also, I believe self driving cars will probably never materialise, just for the simple reason that in the event of a crash the car manufacturer would be found liable rather than the driver.

I'm also surprised by the non usage of cursive script among your peers. Surely writing in cursive is much quicker than individual block letters,especially if one is trying to take notes in a class where Prof. is spewing out info at a mile a minute.

[Snaaky005]

Thats why we type at 60+ WPM ;)

[Prepoceros]

The reason I prefer print, especially when I need to write quickly, is that when I write fast, my cursive becomes unreadable much faster than my printing does.

Very few people I know use block letters. My print has some cursive elements to it that help with speed and comfort -- my "l" (lowercase L), for instance, is looped, as is my "e", and I usually write "s" and "f" in cursive, as well. Many of my letter combinations are connected.

[Prepoceros]

I don't think the text on the mirrors is a result of drivers' stupidity, but rather their litigiousness, if that's a word. There was probably a series of really dumb lawsuits that prompted carmakers to add those words, since you can hardly read them from the driver's seat.

[fishroscoe]

Autonomous cars would save many lives.

[AericWinter]

ZOMG, a new Prepoceros video. Just when I'd given up hope. Food for thought as usual, Nat. I'd love to comment, but that would take too long. I think I'll post a video response instead.

Take care!

[tinoklumpen]

There will be no future generation if you don't go cycling. Be prepared, It will stop. I cycle 1h20 everyday, time to relax, time to think. My footprint is really OK. I no go flying, my vacations are 20 km away from here, I go by cycle.

How annoying to think your children are gonna DRIVE. Wake up. WAKE UP!! Ga fietsen. Alsjeblieft!

[Prepoceros]

I would love to cycle and take public transit more, but right now the US (and Houston especially) doesn't have the infrastructure to support it.

Our suburbs and many of our cities were designed around cars, so everything's far apart, there's no public transit, and there are no bike lanes---riding bikes is unsafe in many areas.

I envy the Dutch cycling lifestyle, but it's difficult to do here and probably will be for a while. I do hope my kids will ride their bikes for fun, as I did growing up.

[NOTghettofabulous]

I envy the Dutch cycling lifestyle, too! I would love to be able to cycle everywhere!

Though, I do agree with you, that being American, I wonder what things we will lose as technology progresses. Driving is a good point, as I do spend a minimum of 30 minutes a day in my car, typically much more than that. I don't think I'll be hopping on the train to ride in an autonomous car right away, that is for sure! Have you seen the movie Eagle Eye? It's pretty erie.

[eraoul]

Very nice and thoughtful video -- thanks! I agree that the GM statement about 10 years is way too optimistic. AI is really hard and still really sucks. We'll need some huge breakthroughs before solving the general autonomous driving problem!

Anyway, thanks for the video! It would be so cool to show this video to your grandkids (by "show" I mean plugging the video into their brains, of course).

[werterr3]

Horse riding is a great one! Guess hand-crafts as a general skill could be another one that we lost. Nobody makes there own forks and knives anymore :)

I love driving but I wouldn't mind the car driving 'itself' to work in the morning since I'm not much of a morning person. But would hate it if it was the only way the use a car. A version where automatic driving would be completely optional would suite me best. Using autonomous driving only when I do not want to drive myself.

[Dofol]

well i guess people 150 years ogo said the same thing about horse riding. Its called progress even if i dont like to lose that experience too! But it has advantages.. there are way to many trafic deaths! Hopefully there will be fewer when computers do our work.

[Prepoceros]

Riding horses...of course! I hadn't thought of that, but it's the natural precursor to driving.

[Dofol]

well if u consider driving cars and horses the same.. (wich i don't) There are alot of examples of things that we do different now as in the past.. But i dont really think they can complain.. I think there will be lots of cool things comming that we in hindsight would have missed.. Like powerfull computers and amazing medicines! perhaps in the future we can smoke without cancer or COPD!! looking forward to that!!!

[DoggBisket]

One thing that has been lost during my lifetime is the experience of actually having to get up and walk to the TV, and turn a knob to change the channel.

[Prepoceros]

Ah, those were the days.

[coolstream1]

i dont know how to drive! 21 without a license... boo-yah?

public transit ftw

i can relate with the lack of cursive writing... it never stuck for me either... it's getting to the point that i cant even read it

my 8 year old brother has a laptop, he bring it to school :P

i love writing comments as the vids go on, my comments are just as unstructured as the videos!

[mikma]

PS I like the long hair

[mikma]

long time no see missed you...mikma was here

[Nat4Brendan]

I hope driving doesn't get lost amongst future generations, it's too awesome for that.

[Rockforce80]

sorry for the double comment, but good to see you back!

[Rockforce80]

New hair style I dig it.

Took a look at that article, personally I think that it would take a lot of natural instinct type thinking out of driving.

Assistance would be okay, just safety features, but not knowing how to drive seems to be an issue you and I both share concerns on.

[Prepoceros]

Yeah, I would be worried about people who didn't grow up driving not having the instincts to react properly in an emergency situation. They'll have to make some REALLY smart computers for people to trust autonomous cars.