SelfDriving

What’s the status of self-driving cars? There has been progress, but safety questions remain.

By Betty C. Morrow 6 months ago

There has been incremental, but steady, progress in the development of self-driving cars. Some form of driver-assistance technology focused on safety is now inside most new vehicles.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) defines six levels of vehicle driving automation systems. Right now, we’re at level two, with cars able to control steering, acceleration and braking, while still requiring drivers to remain engaged. Down the road, level 5 autonomy would mean fully driverless cars. 

But the transition into the future hasn’t always been smooth. As the technology advances, drivers adjust, and the government tries to keep up. 

Among the new crowd of autonomous vehicles is the 2022 Honda Civic. One of the newest settings on the standard-issue Honda Civic is it can drive itself down the road itself, then smoothly break behind a stopped car. 

Honda told CBS News the system is not intended or capable of detecting the end

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Autonomous Vs. Self-Driving: Understanding The Different Levels

By Betty C. Morrow 6 months ago

Car brands are now offering varying types of autonomous driving, making it harder to understand the difference between self-driving and autonomous.

As more EV with autonomous driving capabilities are hitting the streets, it is important to understand the difference between self-driving and autonomous in general. While there is the argument that cars that can drive themselves will take all the fun out of driving, car brands are convinced they are the future of mobility, and that looks unlikely to change anytime soon.

Driverless vehicles are viewed as especially promising for the freight and transport industry as well as for the public transportation sector. Driverless taxis and fleets of heavy-duty and midsized logistic movers are already in testing or operating phases in the US and other countries. However, making a car drive itself with absolutely no human intervention is much more complex than any big company originally anticipated.

SCREENRANT VIDEO
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What’s a self-driving car? Here’s an explanation

By Betty C. Morrow 10 months ago

There are no self-driving cars on sale today. Point blank. That’s the cold-hard truth. Nothing fits the bill based on the SAE Scale of Autonomy’s standard. It’s true technology and engineering has come a very long way, but based on the SAE’s standards, we’re still very far from a proper autonomous car. We’ll dive into that below.

I largely agree with former Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt’s view that “it’s a bug that cars were invented before computers.” In terms of sheer technical elegance, we never should have been at the controls in the first place. 

Imagine we hadn’t yet invented automobiles. Suppose I Iaid out a vision for using 3,300 pound machines to typically transport just our 175-pound selves in a process requiring we pay rapt attention to the use of a steering wheel and pedals to navigate roads composed of asphalt, brightly colored suggestions and poorly guided machines like

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Tesla Faces Regulatory Tension Over Self-Driving Builds. Market Doesn’t Care.

By Betty C. Morrow 10 months ago

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U.S. automotive-safety regulators want some answers from Tesla over its software and recall practices.


Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. automotive-safety regulators want some answers from




Tesla

over its recall practices. It’s another example of the tension building between Tesla and the traditional auto industry as cars become smarter and start to drive themselves. It feels like a big issue, but for now, the stock market just doesn’t care.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, has reminded Tesla (ticker: TSLA) that even software updates that correct a defect must result in recall paperwork, even if cars don’t have to come into a shop for physical repair. The administration also wants Tesla to disclose performance regarding new versions of its autonomous-driving software, even if it has non-disclosure agreements with drivers using the software.

“Through these actions, NHTSA continues to demonstrate its commitment to safety and its

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