- Technology giant Google wants to use Nevada as a test bed for driverless cars.
- Google is lobbying for legislation that would make Nevada the first state where driverless cars could be legally operated on public roads.
- Google says it has already test-driven robotic driverless vehicles, including Toyota Priuses, more than 140,000 miles on California roads, including Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
LAS VEGAS — Google is pushing hard to make Nevada its test bed for driverless cars. The technology giant is lobbying for legislation that would make Nevada the first state where driverless cars could be legally operated on public roads, according to media reports.
Two bills in the Nevada legislature would provide for the licensing and testing of autonomous vehicles, as well as an exemption from the ban on distracted driving to allow a driver to send text messages from behind the wheel. A vote on the proposals may come as early as June.
Google says it has already test-driven robotic driverless vehicles, including Toyota Priuses, more than 140,000 miles on California roads, including Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Those cars were not driverless. They were tested with a passenger monitoring computer equipment and a driver positioned to take control if something goes wrong.
Google is not saying why it has targeted Nevada, although media wags explain that there are two reasons: the state is a flatland and "big on gambling."
In a February 2011 speech for a TED forum, artificial-intelligence researcher Sebastian Thrun described his work at Google in developing the driverless car and testing it on California roads.
"The cars have sensors and make decisions," Thrun explained.
He said he was motivated to create such a vehicle because he lost his best friend in a car crash when he was 18. In the future, Thrun said people would say "how ridiculous it was that humans were driving cars." He also noted that drivers spent "52 minutes per day wasting time" behind the wheel. Thrun argued that autonomous cars would be safer than conventionally driven vehicles.
Some proponents of Google's autonomous vehicles envision them as automated taxis on the Las Vegas casino strip.
Inside Line says: Will they have to pry that steering wheel out of your cold, dead hands? Or are you in favor of Google's vision of automated driving?
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fortstring says:
01:06 PM, 05/17/2011
I love driving as much as the next guy, but there are some times when long distance treks are fatiguing. Being able to nap/sleep without having to stop over seems like it would be extremely useful. I'm not saying that we should replace self-driving completely with artificial intelligence. It's just that this could be an extremely helpful aid to normal driving.
As long as the driver's wheel isn't completely removed, I'm all for it. The road from SoCal to Berkeley is an excruciatingly long one, and I wouldn't want to imagine driving from SoCal to Chicago (Go Maroons) for grad school...
zeniff says:
05:58 AM, 05/17/2011
This guy thinks he developed the driverless car? I thought Toyota had beat everyone to market a long time ago when they came out with the Prius.
Can't wait for this to happen. I mean, when going somewhere in a car becomes as fun as programming your microwave, we'll have reached the apex of civilization.
scottyscooter says:
04:02 AM, 05/17/2011
Riding around in an autonomous robotic Toyota Prius? Sounds like fun!
Thanks for the offer Google, but I think I'll just drive myself...
dghstlstrdp says:
10:24 PM, 05/16/2011
I definitely agree with mrbacon. These tech losers don't know what they're talking about! Driving becoming obsolete? As if motorsport can exist w/o actual drivers driving? Automotive enthusiasm will always be based on the fact that people WANT to drive. Those who're real enthusiasts know that driving isn't all about the fun times. Driving is also something you have to live with on a day-to-day basis, and that's how someone internalizes the act of driving. Nothing can replace that.
Maybe this'll catch on among corporate stuck ups and IT people who have "better things to do", but some of us in the world, however a minority we are, think cars are more than just transport. Driving is as much a social expression as it is a functional act. It expresses the essential freedom and agency of the human being in taking hold of his life, his passions, and his social obligations. Let the lazy slobs have cars that drive themselves, they're better off like that rather than ruining the streets with bad driving. But I swear that a real enthusiast driver who takes into account his own passion for driving as well as his responsibilities on the road is as safe as any computer can ever be.
Then again, I seriously doubt that computers can make better decisions than people when it comes to driving. Especially over here in the third world where most road networks are tight and tricky. It's why cruise control never caught on here.
jmess says:
06:03 PM, 05/16/2011
Will these be manuals or automatics?
mrbacon says:
04:25 PM, 05/16/2011
This "Sebastian Thrun" character has got some nerve, saying things like that. And quite frankly he makes my blood boil.
Just because his friend died, doesn't mean he has to take it out on the world and ruin car enthusiasts' lives.
Accidents happen. People die. This has ALWAYS been true and always will be true, as long as humans exist, and live freely. It really irks me when some sad sap loses a loved one and then dedicates their life to the pursuit of eliminating accidents that cause serious injury or death. We can't save everyone, so a line has to be drawn somewhere. I say that if I'm no longer allowed to use a car that is controlled by me, the line has been crossed.
The more freedom we have, the more accidents there will be. It's as simple as that. And as for me, I don't think it's worth sacrificing freedom (and enjoyment) to save some lives. Call me ridiculous.
/rant
godawgsgo04 says:
12:56 PM, 05/16/2011
I like this!! especially for long highway drives....with today's technology why do we have to sit there and make miniscul adjustments to the steering wheel? technology needed.... GPS (check), radar cruise control (Check), Lane departure equipement (Check), driver awarness alarm (Check-so the driver does not simply go to sleep while the car is moving)..... what else is needed? Come on guys! put all the technology together in one package and sell it! I'm no engineer but...wait yes I am...and I worked for NASA.... come on! evolve already..... ;)
greenpony says:
10:10 AM, 05/16/2011
Um... Even though Google is not saying why they're targeting Nevada, the reasons are obvious.
defiant2 says:
08:34 AM, 05/16/2011
@wjtinatl,
+100. FL is even flatter and the roads are straighter in grids (for much of it). Can you imagine getting 1/2 of all drivers in the state - mostly the 80 and up crowd that hasn't had to test for a license in 20 years? Sign us up.
"Demolition man" era here we come. Secure foam for the over 80 crowd too please.
Regards,
wjtinatl says:
08:05 AM, 05/16/2011
Don't know about Nevada, but in South Florida a "driverless" Grand Marquis or Sedan deVille would be a monumental improvement over their typical pilot!