California Starts Issuing Self-Driving Car Permits

[A Guy]

Self-driving cars can now officially hit the road in California, though they will still require some help from their human passengers for awhile.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles today started issuing permits that allow for testing of autonomous vehicles on public California roads. Those who pay a $150 application fee get permits for 10 vehicles and 20 drivers. Adding another 10 drivers costs $50 more.

Audi has already signed on; the AP reported that Google will have the highest number of self-driving cars on the road at 25.

But before you prepare yourself for driverless cars zipping around Los Angeles and up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, know that this testing period requires that all autonomous vehicles have a driver who is capable of stopping the car if something goes awry.

Source

Computer-driven cars have been testing their skills on California roads for more than four years -- but until now, the Department of Motor Vehicles wasn't sure just how many were rolling around.

That changed Tuesday, when the agency required self-driving cars to be registered and issued testing permits that let three companies dispatch 29 vehicles onto freeways and into neighborhoods -- with a human behind the wheel in case the onboard equipment makes a bad decision.

These may be the cars of the future, but for now they represent a tiny fraction of California's approximately 32 million registered vehicles.

Source

A Guy

 

[ThrashZone]

Looking for extra revenues in anyway possible

 

[Brink]

I'm just nervous how bad it may get until they get them perfected.

 

[ThrashZone]

Lol with all of the construction zone speed traps it's a wonder why they want a driver there
Does one of these cars know when a cop is trying to pull them over for a speeding

 

[A Guy]

Quite frankly, I see them almost every day. They even speed if traffic is all flowing fast. Not seen one in a accident yet

A Guy

 

[andrew129260]

Self driving cars are much more safe then any human driver. They can react faster, and can see all around them 24/7, something no human driver can do. The danger part comes in when the cars can be hacked off the internet and be controlled to kill the driver or others. It is certainly possible, and that is what I worry about.

 

[A Guy]

The Skynet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.

A Guy

 

[Borg 386]

The danger part comes in when the cars can be hacked off the internet and be controlled to kill the driver or others. It is certainly possible, and that is what I worry about.

Yeah, that's already been done with the newer cars out on the market right now. A while back there was an article that chronicled the events of college students (somewhere in Europe I believe) attempting to hack a couple of the new models (If I remember correctly, one was a Ford, the other Toyota). Just by driving alongside the vehicle with a laptop, they could access the system. Once the car was hacked, they could display a false speed on the speedometer, apply the brakes for the whole car or just to one wheel, as well a few other nasty things. The wireless connection makes it a breeze for mechanics to find out what's going on with the car, but also unfortunately leaves a chink in the armor.

BTW, if a self driving car gets into an accident, who's fault is it?

 

[ThrashZone]

Yea their having issues with drones so a car is more likely to not have half the technology :/