You won't need a driver's license by 2040

The timeline for autonomous cars hitting the road en masse keeps getting closer. GM's Cadillac division expects to produce partially autonomous cars at a large scale by 2015, and the automaker also predicts it will have fully autonomous cars available by the end of the decade. Audi and BMW have also shown self-driving car concepts, with the former working with Stanford to pilot a modified TT up Pikes Peak.

But while we know that robo-cars are coming, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recently released predictions that autonomous cars will account for up to 75 percent of vehicles on the road by the year 2040. The organization went even further, forecasting how infrastructure, society and attitudes could change when self-driving cars become the norm around the middle of the century.

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I think that this is quite interesting, technology is advancing so fast that it is hard to keep up.

I personally think that there will be problems with those cars at least at first. I feel that a driver's license should be required anyways, for example, if there is a malfunction in the Auto-drive feature, the passenger will have to become the driver to avoid collisions and an untrained user might not know how to properly do so if he/she was never taught.

Still would be fun to just lay back and read a book on your way to work. Or take a nap.

I wouldn't go for it anyways unless I had no choice because I just love driving around, being in full control of what I am doing.

Any thoughts ATS?

reply to post by Teye22


IMHO, if we are still driving around in cars in 2040, not needing a license is the least of our problems. We need to have spaceships and having colonized at least 1 other heavenly body by then, or we are doomed. Too many people overharvesting, polluting and consuming the resources of this planet already, as it is.

I would not use or trust an automobile that I cannot control. Fly by wire technology is unreliable especially if you develop electrical issues. Even worse would be the surrendering of control to others whether they be hackers or the government, police etc... No thanks.

Originally posted by DarthMuerte
I would not use or trust an automobile that I cannot control.

I'm with you on that. I don't even trust cars with computer assisted brakes.
(Actually, I distrust most machinery, but that's my own issue to deal with)

Theoretically, autonomous cars (auto-autos?) could make traffic faster, smoother, and safer.
Assuming the system didn't break down.
Unfortunately, all machinery breaks down eventually.

reply to post by subject x
Exactly. I want cars with manual, mechanical back ups. Relying on all electronic control is stupid. I won't even own a car built after 1993, and prefer cars(actually trucks/vans/jeeps) from the 1970s and 1980s. I speak as an ASE certified Master automobile technician, and ASE certified Truck technician who also holds the L1, L2, and X1 certifications. If you guys knew about all of the electronic issues that go unreported, you would not trust the newer vehicles either. That is just the safety/reliability stuff. It does not even consider the issues of remote access to your automobile endemic in the post 2002 vehicles. No thanks.

Robo car

its almost 2013
and still driving a 1993
Honda accord

it would be better if
"We won't need cars come 2040"

reply to post by spoonbender


I drive a 1979 Ford E150 van. Straight six motor, C6 transmission, 2bbl carburetor. I have been driving it for over 21 years and I bought it with almost 200,000 miles on it. The straight six is, imo, THE most reliable engine made; and I can rebuild the C6 transmission with a screwdriver in a sandstorm and it will still work(ok, slight hyperbole there but not much). I can and have rebuilt my carb in a wal-mart parking lot in a couple hours. You guys can keep the new crap they want to sell you.

I liked those cars in Demolition Man, the ones where you could manually take control if needed, but were capable of following their pre-determined routes without issue. Plus they were quite stylish!

I definitely agree with all that was posted as of yet. Electronics WILL break down eventualy and if no manual override is available, you will be screwed!!!

I also loved the cars in Demolition Man!!! but you can also see in that movie around the end that when it malfunctions, your cannot control much!!! Mind you the safety foam is pretty cool though

I don't need a car that drives itself. What I need is a car that pumps it's own gas or changes it's own flat tire when it's raining cats and dogs. Also, if it changed it's own oil it would be nice.

I learned from a professor of mine that here in Los Angeles, public transportation was actually really quite good back in the day. According to him, the oil companies conspired with the car companies and bought up all the public transportation and what not here in the city. Their plan was to turn us into a driving dependent city. If you have ever been here, you'd know that their plan worked. It is almost impossible to get around this city without a vehicle when you work, go to school and live in different areas. A car is absolutely necessary here as we are entirely dependent on our freeway system.

It's reasons like that alone besides the insanely obvious ( autonomous driving system fails, hackers attack, satellites get knocked out, etc.) that I wouldn't trust a fully autonomous vehicle.

So who's insurance does this go on when
they eventually crash and someone is killed>?

Love the tech and the hype.

I love to sit on a train secure in the knowledge it's being driven by a human, and that a plane has a pilot.

No chance I'll sit in a car controlled by a computer. It might be able to drive around a flat airfield with cones, but not a chance in hell would it survive the the rural roads I routine chug down in the West country.

Outside of the built up areas with speed limits and traffic control, I see no hope of progress in my lifetime.

Regards

reply to post by Teye22


The Google self driving car has been in one accident. When a person was controlling it.

Originally posted by littled16
I don't need a car that drives itself. What I need is a car that pumps it's own gas or changes it's own flat tire when it's raining cats and dogs. Also, if it changed it's own oil it would be nice.

They have those. I think they are called husbands

But seriously though, I would love a car that drove itself. I really don't like driving.

LOL I had to give you a star for that!

I admit it, I can't drive!!! OMG I'm 33 years old and.......................I can't drive!! My hubby takes me everywhere I need to go, I really NEED to know how to drive, I WANT to know how to also, but I just haven't ...... don't even know why!!!