Self-driving cars are poised to take over U.S. roads and destroy American jobs… and they will also kill people, even if by accident.
Right now, their makers are in the process of convincing Congress that they can handle their own regulations – even as they continue working out the kinks.
The U.S. Senate subcommittee for Commerce, Science and Transportation heared testimony from Duke University roboticist Missy Cummings, who admitted that fatalities and accidents are inevitable as self-driving cars attempt to integrate with a busy and complex society.
The London Guardian reports:
The robot car revolution hit a speed bump on Tuesday as senators and tech experts sounded stern warnings about the potentially fatal risks of self-driving cars.“There is no question that someone is going to die in this technology,” said Duke University roboticist Missy Cummings in testimony before the US Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation. “The question is when and what can we do to minimize that.”
Automotive executives and lawmakers sniped at each other over whether universal standards were necessary for self-driving cars….
Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal, who have cosponsored legislation that proposes minimum testing standards for automated drivers… “The credibility of this technology is exceedingly fragile if people can’t trust standards – not necessarily for you, but for all the other actors that may come into this space at this point.”
These “standards” reflect the programming that will make sometimes fatal choices in the mix of situations that may involve innocent by-standers and no-win situations.
In these cases, is there a “moral” gradient that computers and people can see eye-to-eye on?
If the self-driving car is designed to avoid children at all costs, does that mean it could be programmed to kill (or sacrifice) you if/when you are caught inside of a car headed for disaster, or on the opposite side of the road as the child? There are no clear answers.
The standards are already becoming morally complex. Google X’s Chris Urmson, the company’s director of self-driving cars, said the company was trying to work through some difficult problems. Where to turn – toward the child playing in the road or over the side of the overpass?
Google has come up with its own Laws of Robotics for cars: “We try to say, ‘Let’s try hardest to avoid vulnerable road users, and beyond that try hardest to avoid other vehicles, and then beyond that try to avoid things that that don’t move in the world,’ and then to be transparent with the user that that’s the way it works,” Urmson said.
But the “morality” of the decision-making structure of the computer’s processes, and the inevitability of chaos for at least some individuals is only part of the story.
Autonomous vehicles will, ironically, also be quite vulnerable to hacking – as Internet-connected devices in the car can be manipulated and used to takeover the commands and data of really any of the newer “smart” cars on the road. The problem will be even bigger as self-driving cars become a bigger part of our life.
“We know that many of the sensors on self-driving cars are not reliable in good weather, in urban canyons, or places where the map databases are out of date,” said Cummings. “We know gesture recognition is a serious problem, especially in real world settings. We know humans will get in the back seat while they think their cars are on ‘autopilot’. We know people will try to hack into these systems.”
“[W]e know that people, including bicyclists, pedestrians and other drivers, could and will attempt to game self-driving cars, in effect trying to elicit or prevent various behaviors in attempts to get ahead of the cars or simply to have fun,” she said.
Back in 2013, a couple of white hat hackers demonstrated how vulnerable a number of newer cars are to hacking. The possibilities are down right frightening – everything from the stereo and windshield wipers to the brakes can be hacked and remotely controlled – or shut off when you need them most. Just imagine what is possible in 2016.
What happens when these self-driving cars of the future disagree with the human passenger about the priorities, or what is allowed in a critical situation – like escaping a car jacking assault or avoiding a cop in pursuit?
It isn’t hard to see how trusting technology on the roads is going to complicate the future, and restrict our human ability to make decisions about important factors on the road. Let’s just hope somebody programs these intelligent machines with some common sense.
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After a few times and the company’s get the shit sued outa them and they are bankrupt they will go away gotta have some one to blame and not just something
But then again that falls under them wanting to sue gun mfg i dont think people would like the liability that would come with them besides i wonder if insurance would be high or low double edge sword
Fair point, I could see them trying that even if there is no such thing as a self shooting gun.
Too many variables in the real world. Won’t catch me in one and I will be increasing the mass of my vehicle when/if they become more widespread.
Speaking of Reckless Driving. Look who’s driving the Monsanto GMO Mobile.
Ted Cruz goes all-in for Monsanto; insults tens of millions of health-conscious Americans by calling
them ‘anti science zealots’
March 15th 2016
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/053315_Ted_Cruz_Monsanto_anti-science_zealots.html#ixzz434G4uofx
(NaturalNews) U.S. presidential candidate and Texas senator Ted Cruz went all-in for Monsanto on the campaign trail in Iowa, parroting Monsanto’s propaganda by proclaiming that GMOs are feeding the world while insulting health-conscious consumers by equating support of GMO labeling with “anti-science zealotry.”
At the Iowa Agricultural Summit, Cruz revealed that he in effect fully supports the mass poisoning of the American people with hidden (unlabeled) GMOs, cancer-causing glyphosate herbicide, farmer suicides caused by GMO crop failures and the widespread genetic pollution unleashed by genetically modified crops. “[W]e shouldn’t let anti-science zealotry shutdown the ability to produce low-cost quality food for billions across the globe,” he stated, invoking a false claim that’s actually a widely disproven Monsanto talking point. (SOURCE)
Hilariously, in making that statement, Ted Cruz also implies that he is literate on scientific issues. This alone is highly questionable. He may be a brilliant constitutional scholar and student of the law, but he knows next to nothing about the health effects, environmental impacts and genetic pollution risk of GM crops. He could start by reading Altered Genes, Twisted Truth: How the Venture to Genetically Engineer Our Food Has Subverted Science, Corrupted Government, and Systematically Deceived the Public.
Then calls himself an Outsider.. pftttt…
~WWTI…
WhoWTFKnows… good comment on GMO’s and how they are being shoved down America’s throats, no matter the truth. It’s just astonishing that the American people allow this poisoning of their food with little say to oppose the agenda. Bogus industries pushing death and sickness to help Big Pharma, their partners in crime. In the states voting on labeling GMO’s millions were poured in by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the big GMO food producers, somehow convincing voters that prices would rise if labeling was mandated. Like they are not always changing their labels anyway. Now Russia has blocked all GMO’s and are expanding organically grown food. Who is the evil and stupid country? Actually you can lay that on the US and the chemical poisoning of the world. People have less rights than chemicals.
Non-GMO is mainstream now. A large seed display I saw yesterday in a grocery store here had a sign saying that all the seeds were non-GMO.
Archivist
Monsanto has already bought up 40% of the heirloom seed companies. I am leaning heavy into seed saving.
Everyone needs to buy all the seeds they can, whether they think they’ll need them or not. Even plants that you don’t need a crop of right now can be grown in limited quantities each year just to get fresh seeds to save. Extras can be traded later on.
Archivist,
I hear ya. I bought a lot extra this season and I already had a good amount. I don’t want to be eating GMO. If one is none and 2 is one… I want five.
Don’t want to be eating GMO?
Almost impossible that you have not already. Just saying… If you eat out, eat anything with soybean, you likely are eating some GMO. Any meat in USA is all but assured to have eaten GMO soybean. Case in point, the Japanese tried to hire farmers in my area to grow non GMO soybeans, but no matter what steps they required, when the testing was done cross pollination showed up with GMO results. That was even with buffer zones of 1/4 mile or more. Then consider that near 100% of commericial livestock is fed soybean meal is this country. Odds are not in your favor of avoiding GMO. Also, while it will be denied, farmers do what makes money in hard times. That includes claiming that crops are organic, even when not. A local “organic” buyer only requires that the producer of grain sign a contract that non-GMO seed was used, with no chemicals. “let’s see, I get paid extra for signing on that line? Great…”
Not trying to bum you out. But the deck is stacked against you BIG time.
Liberty,
I am well aware the deck is not only stacked, but the game is over. So they say. Then again, tilting at windmills is still legal. 😉
I grow a lot of my own food, and am increasing this year. I don’t have to actually kneel down to Monsanto. We gave our food, water, shelter to corporations and got toxins back. I am all about taking my basic needs back. If I gave it to them, I can take it back.
Beyer than whining every day of the week. I feed my chickens too. I will have more meat as I go along.
Self-sufficency.
For some reason, I think the government would step in and save the company from a lawsuit at the tax payers expence.
At least it wasn’t “my fault” when it happens.
Im surprised they havent done something stupid like a warning lable on guns This product will kill you and others kinda like a box of 22 with the warning lable dangerous for 1 1/2 miles
Once again common sense and natural selection
Free car bomb!!! All it will take is loading a TAXI with some tanks of gas and a timer or remote detonator. And send it to it’s destination.
And the old terrorists will say. Back in my day, we had to buy our car bomb!!!
“You the bomb.”
“No, you the bomb.”
In America, that’s compliments.
In the Middle East, that’s an argument.
bright side to this
traffic cops will have to get jobs scrubbing toilets .. at least they’d be qualified for that job
and the loss of revenue for their pensions and unions would also allow them a view into what life out here is really like , when you have to actually do something positive to get paid
or would they just result to being armed stage coach robbers ? you know ,criminals , oh yeah thats right they are already doing that
Or you could just not speed while driving, instead of blaming it on the cops. Just an idea.
That’s pretty funny
Comedy Central is looking for idiots like you
Nice come back from someone who has no clue of my perfect driving record
Last ticket I got was when I was 18 I’m well past middle age currently
But nice try copsucker
I didnt see anywhere in that where he said anything about speed limits or speeding tickets , he said traffic cops .. there’s way more to that than just speeding tickets
I’ve never seen you comment before on this site , so you must be a Troll , or a cop that changed his screen name here to give EOS some shit because he touched on the truth
Just an Idea
I’m neither. I’ve been reading the doom and gloom on this site for about four years or so. For some reason a person whining about traffic cops made me want to post. Speeding is part of what a traffic does btw. Sorry I didn’t draw that in crayon for you.
still stuck on speeding are ya?
traffic cops do way more than just ticket for speeding ..or would I have to draw that in crayon for you ? Red or Blue?
Hey thanks Red
Don’t sweat this joke , I don’t have time to respond to people that go through life with blinders on .. I just let them learn as they go
some people you just cant reach .. you know how it is
people like that don’t get under my skin , they don’t even know who I am let alone you , so they attack and other stupid crap like that or drill one aspect of your post into the ground due to lack of being able to see reality
I find them a bore and not worth the band width to respond to .. thats why I’m responding to you , and not them
clueless is no way to go though life but some make it their profession
I have found its hard to argue with a professional idiot , they are so much better at being an idiot than someone that understands common sense
I’m neither. I’ve been reading the doom and gloom on this site for about four years or so. For some reason a person whining about traffic cops made me want to post. Speeding is part of what a traffic cop does btw. Sorry I didn’t draw that in crayon for you.
If we really are going to move into the future, and avoid a shtf collapse in the next few years- we are going to have to rethink the way we move around. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a machine making traffic decisions. Too much variation in terrain… mechanical issues, etc. No thanks. That’s not to say we can’t come up with new ways of transport.
One of the best ideas I’ve ever seen was the “people mover” at Disney. Another wonderful aid for airport walkers are those conveyor belt accelerators that boost your walking speed. I would love to see a return to street cars like we had in New Orleans when I was a kid. Even Houston used to have an “interurban” electric car between Galveston and the city back in the day.
2 is one
I like people movers also, they are a big convenience if they are open use and not monitored.
Anything computerized and connected to the net is not something you want to own. Never mind we are all addicted to them, including me. All of the abuses are inherent. Jimmy Carter shifted back to snail mail AFTER being President.
Anybody who knows computer software would know that a self-driving car is insane.
BC,
I know software and electrical engineering and agree with you. Computers can only react algorithmically. The real world doesn’t always have the same result for a given input. In the computer world 1+1 must equal 10(binary). In the real world 1+1 may equal 2 or it could equal 10 depending on what you are doing at the time.
Self driving might be possible on a limited access road like an interstate highway, if all the vehicles were under complete computer control, but I can’t see them on typical city streets with the mix of variables that even humans can barely handle.
I think I will just stick with my old Chevy suburban
How are self driving cars who will accidentally kill people any worse than manually driven cars by people who accidentally kill people? Chances are the number of automobile deaths will decline as last I checked self driving cars don’t drive themselves to bars, have a few too many drinks, then try and drive themselves home.
Nor will the 85-year old grandma with poor eyesight, lousy motor skills, and bad hearing need to drive to the pharmacy or grocery store need to impose on the family to drive her around, or move into a home just because she lives two miles from town.
Some is going to die.
YEP, and it will be human error.
Sgt.
ht tps://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/03/15/coming-soon-government-to-tax-your-car-usage-by-the-mile/
They already tax us by the mile. It’s called the gasoline tax. The more you drive, the more gasoline tax you pay.
When my car (won’t happen) says, “you’ve crossed the line or you’re not permitted to go that way or your driving privaledges have just been docked for speeding…” it’s time to get a horse! Not to mention that taxing you by the mile will be down to the penny!
Why not just build a cheap costing but solid car without all this added on unnecessary BS to drive the price up. I see gas is up to the 2 dollar mark a gallon here, stinking thieves! It should be a dollar now. US oil hegemony has turned America into the murderers of the world. By far and away the biggest ripoffs on planet Earth.
Holy shit! The egg I cracked in the skillet this mourning was bigger than that car. Anybody buys something like that should get mashed.
It comes with its own coffin , just dig the hole
I’m not so sure the biggest problem with self-driving cars is not going to be the other drivers on the road.
A lot of morons are going to play games with them, that’s certain.
As nice as it would be to pop the car into self drive mode and have a nap or catch up on some reading I don’t think I could ever feel very comfortable. I’d spend the whole trip making sure I wasn’t about to be sacrificed so some biker wouldn’t get creamed.
Culling of the ‘Useless Eaters’ will probably commence at some point in the not to distant future!
Ref: Georgia Guidestones’ first commandment/recommendation.
Archives Dave
Georgia Guide stones do not say “useless eaters” it just says massive population drop. Obviously you don’t think you are a useless eater, but unless you are a well regarded personal servant, you are no more likely to be spared than anyone else. Careful what you wish for. Russia’s genocide in Ukraine targeted wealthy farmers, for example. Germany targeted rich Jews so they could steal their assets.
Just imagine the elite arriving at the next Bilderberg meeting in their limousines, when all of a sudden they start being jerked around by hackers. I’d pay to see that on TV.
Drive this car in snow storm in Minnesota haha what a joke.
Well, when the car screws up driving you home from the bar, who does the officer write up the ticket too? And when two of these beasts run into each other who’s at fault and who gets to sue who? These cars are all more scary than our current bunch of political candidates!
Here’s what we get with HUMAN DRIVERS when things go horribly wrong:
Mostly, earnest and detailed testimony of what happened.
From witness drivers, the same.
All in all, a jaw-droppingly low incidence of such, considering how many are on the road.
Here’s what we can expect with COMPUTER DRIVERS
The car says [ambivalent shrug] check my logs.
Manufacturer says [shrug] thanks for passing that ‘liability cap’ legislation that makes the future possible. Welcome to the future.
From passengers of driverless cars that kill, self-serving crap testimony and fabrication by people who ‘pretend’ they had been paying attention when they were fondling their computers and phones.
From cops, [shrug] sorry folks, we just count bodies and take photos now, we don’t gather and document software bugs to folks who don’t listen.
Here’s what we can expect during the TRANSITION PERIOD:
If it breathes and blinks, it’s at fault.
From insurance companies and lawmakers, a concerted and brutal attempt to get all human drivers off the road.
Here’s what we can expect DOWN THE ROAD:
Spineless children who grow into adults who don’t know how to open a can when the power goes out.