Re: Autonomous driving is months, years, or decades away
I'm not sure that's tru for two reasons.
Firstly, if I screw up I will get punished (increased insurance and perhaps jail in the worst case) and may lose my license. So, most people will try to avoid accidents although for some it may take one or two to learn. Big companies just hide behind lawyers and will see a few deaths as just the cost of doing business, your brother, wife etc. is dead and there's little to no consequence for the people making money from selling the faulty system.
Secondly, most people try to avoid accidents; So, I realise I'm going too fast but brake too late and hit the car in front. I did however still brake and so reduce the impact. When a computer gets it wrong it is likely that it'll keep the throttle wide open, so even if there are fewer crashes they will be more severe. A certain automatic system in a plane which forced the plane into the ground springs to mind.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
