Tag: self-driving

Autonomous driving technology continues to creep forward

Autonomous driving

Its been some time since we commented on autonomous driving. In fact, its been seven years. But the topic has seen a resurgence in the news of late, so its a moment to contemplate.

Tesla Cybercab

The primary “driver” for the latest upswing is Tesla’s unveiling of its self-driving Robotaxi earlier this month (Oct. 2024). Elon Musk said that the model could be in service in 2025, but this is completely dependent on regulators.

That said, Musk had also said previously that Tesla could reach full autonomy in 2021, which didn’t happen, and first talked about a robotaxi service in 2019, which also didn’t happen.

However, drivers of current models equipped with the Autopilot technology love it, or at least claim to. Further, Tesla employees are currently hailing existing Tesla models as robocabs in a test program in the San Francisco area, still with a human driver on board.

Which is where regulators come in. They must approve of the service currently on a state-by-state basis. Its likely waaay down the list of legislative priorities, but its time for the U.S. Congress and the Department of Transportation to weigh in.

We are well aware of the risks surrounding self driving cars, and in fact most of our commentary to date plead for caution.

However, we are also acutely aware of the disruption and frustration experienced by ordinary drivers, perhaps more so than anyone or anywhere else. Helping drivers navigate new technology is, in fact, our primary mission. And we came to the conclusion some time ago that ordinary drivers would ne best served if the advance of technology took that technology out of their hands.

Despite the obstacles and risks, autonomy is the only end result possible.

And here’s something we’d said, and forgot. “Perhaps as vehicles became more computerized, a second seat could be given the driving responsibility at times.” Its our idea — so far as we know — but it remains intriguing. Admittedly, this flies in the face of getting rid of human control functions — steering wheels, pedals, etc., but so long as a human driver is needed to back up autonomy, why not??

——————————————————————-

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/10/autonomous-driving-technology-continues-to-creep-forward/

A Plea to NHTSA to Simplify Nomenclature

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!

On February 14, 2018, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Deputy Administrator Heidi King testified before the House Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee on Energy and Commerce. Among the topics was NHTSA’s goal of safe testing and deployment of Automated Driving Systems, and in the question and answer session noted that a simplification of the language used in describing the systems to the public would be a part of this goal.

Ms. King sees potential danger in the use or misuse of automated systems and she is absolutely right. Before we can all let go of the steering wheel or rely on a car to stop on its own when necessary there has to be absolute clarity that vehicle’s systems are actually capable.

Here, we have advocated for simplification from the start as it relates to advanced systems being introduced today. And to be clear, these same systems are the stepping stones to automation. And the buying public is already confused.

Why Drivers Are Confused

On our website, we host well over 400 warning lights and tell tales mostly from vehicles sold in North America. They include symbols for 16 different Stability Control Systems. Actually, its mostly the names that are different. Wikipedia adds another four in their worldwide list. These lists including two that are named for the actual manufacturer, as if this somehow adds weight. We also host four different names for Active Cruise Control, five more for Collision Warning Systems, three for Blind Spot Monitoring, and so on.

To be sure, there can be and sometimes are good reasons for using distinct names for a given, system, since there may be variations in operation and system integration from one manufacturer to another. However, there are also indications that naming is done simply to stand out. One manufacturer calls its blind spot monitoring a BLind spot Information System so that the acronym can be BLIS!

SO NHTSA and Ms. King if you are listening, for the sake of the driving or riding public please do continue to work to simplify the nomenclature. And please, if you can extend the concept to the current crop of cars and trucks, the driving public will appreciate the effort. After all, stability control is stability control, lane departure systems are lane departure systems, etc. The average driver will never be aware of details beyond this, nor will they need them if they all perform to the same standards.

——————————————————————-

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2018/03/a-plea-to-nhtsa-to-simplify-nomenclature/

Is Anyone Ready for a Self-driving Car?

Ready for a Self-driving?

Evidently, according to reports, only a very few drivers are ready for a self driving car.

In a recent newscast from Automotive News, Bloomberg was cited as a source saying that one half to three quarters of all drivers do not want a self-driving car. Parts supplier Robert Bosch stated that drivers will need to be persuaded. They Active Cruise Control Symbolnoted that we all have experience with computers crashing, phone apps misbehaving, and there is understandable alarm at the thought of software being in control of our cars. We’ve been saying this for a while now…

But these statements, and those of Automotive News commentator Krishnan Anantharaman, fail to truly grasp the real disconnect between drivers and technology. He stated that driver behavior says that they do want self-driving technology – on everyone else’s cars, since we all overstate our own abilities behind the wheel and yet continue to cause accidents. He’s absolutely right about this. But these folks themselves exhibit a real disconnect from drivers as well as another set of their behaviors.

The Tech We Want

In the showroom, driver’s want automatic braking. They want blind spot monitoring. They want sensors to help them park and back up cameras with collision warning, etc., etc., etc.

These shoppers simply don’t recognize that these are all technological elements that lead directly to cars driving themselves. They don’t eat, breath and sleep cars and technology – we do.

As has been the case for at least a decade, technology continues to advance faster than driver’s can assimilate. Not because they are stupid, lazy or out of touch. But simply because they have full, busy lives that leave little time to learn what auto manufacturers take for granted their customers will take the time to learn.

Once the industry grasps this, it will have a far easier time moving its customers to self-driving cars. They will be free to focus on what’s necessary in their lives and not what they are told is necessary by their car’s manufacturer.

——————————————————————-

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2016/05/whos-ready-for-a-self-driving-car/

Three Things to Know about Automatic Braking

Automatic Braking

The news in March 2016 is that 20 auto manufacturers and counting have agreed to roll out automatic braking in their cars by the 2022 model year. These are terrific systems and a technology we love and we only argue that there is little reason other than cost to wait a full six years for full roll out.

Smart Cruise Control Radar Warning IndicatorRegardless, here are three things to know about these systems.

1) Naming

Pre-collision System, Auto Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Collision Avoidance – these are all names for the same thing and serve only to pump up the egos of manufacturers. There is simply no reason for multiple naming schemes that confuse the average driver who has more than enough to remember about his or her car. Anti-lock brakes has satisfied everyone from the start and never needed embellishment. The trend that somehow allows each manufacturer to give its own moniker to every new safety system is senseless and needs to stop.

Standardize on one name. Period.

2) Presentation

Subaru gets a gold star here. It has been advertising its Eye Sight system for some time, using unmanned cars aimed at static obstacles. By contrast, Nissan and Infiniti have been advertising their systems using drivers in traffic who are simply not paying attention. Hyundai went this route with its Super Bowl ad featuring Ryan Reynolds and Volkswagen has recently got into the distracted driver act. Mercedes has gone both ways, using an obstacle course in one ad and a driver who actually puts a child in the driver’s seat of a fully autonomous vehicle in another. Have the airbags been removed??

We’ve taken Mercedes-Benz and Nissan to task for their advertising in the past. Safety systems are no substitute for paying attention while behind the wheel and certainly not an excuse for essentially teaching drivers that their new car doesn’t need them to pay attention to the road or to the safety of their passengers.

3) Liability

A self driving Google car, with a driver on board but not in control, was recently involved in an accident in California while in testing and Google said a very funny thing. Its car turned into a city bus and the company said “In this case, we clearly bear some responsibility…”. Some responsible? Who else is there to blame?

The industry says that liability issues surrounded autonomous systems have yet to be ironed out. Months ago, Volvo said flatly that it would take responsibility for any accidents that result from a failure of its autonomous features. The roll out of automatic braking is underway and there is no more time to decide. If auto manufacturers are going to install systems that they will claim will stop a vehicle before a collision, then those manufacturers have placed themselves in the path of liability.

This is a collision that cannot be avoided.

——————————————————————-

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2016/03/three-things-to-know-about-automatic-braking/

Volvo Throws Down the Self Drive Gauntlet

Volvo Steps Up

Back in July, in an article on recalls of electronic and safety systems, we asked “When your car gets to truly driving itself, will this mean that the manufacturer will then hold accident liability?”

Volvo LogoNow Volvo has stepped up with the answer.

And they stepped up big time.

According to Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, the U.S. risks losing its leading global position in the development of self-driving cars if it allows a patchwork of varying state laws and regulations.

Full Responsibility?

However, in what almost seems like an afterthought, Samuelsson added that Volvo will accept full liability whenever one if its cars is in autonomous mode. The details remain to be worked out – such as how the insurance industry will view this development and whether the driver will be assigned some liability, but Volvo is urging these and other issues be addressed sooner rather than later.

The company is concerned that legal uncertainties could delay the launch of autonomous vehicles. In a speech at a high level seminar on self-driving cars organized by Volvo Cars and the Embassy of Sweden in Washington DC, he said “the U.S. is currently the most progressive country in the world in autonomous driving, but this position could be eroded if a national framework for regulation and testing is not developed.”

“The absence of one set of rules means car makers cannot conduct credible tests to develop cars that meet all the different guidelines of all 50 U.S. states,” he said. “If we are to ensure a smooth transition to autonomous mobility then together we must create the necessary framework that will support this.” Samuelsson also urged regulators to work closely with car makers to solve outstanding liability issues from autonomous driving as well as from hacking “by a criminal third party”.

Time will tell if Volvo will follow through.

——————————————————————-

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2015/10/volvo-throws-down-the-self-drive-gauntlet/

Reflexes or Programming: Which Would You Choose?

Reflexes or Programming

I recently had a run in with a large delivery truck that started out of a driveway unexpectedly, while a passenger and myself were distracted for a moment. The truck stopped in front of us, and did not make a move forward or back.

Auto Braking Indicator SymbolThere was no accident. We both looked up, let out an audible gasp, and a quick twist of the steering wheel sent us around it.

I wondered immediately a number of things, but first and foremost, what would a collision avoidance system have done? In most cases, it would have braked.

In truth, there are many times that braking may be the best choice for avoiding a problem on the road. And times when it may not! Sometimes steering and braking. Sometimes accelerating! Many times, some combination of all the functions of a vehicle are needed.

Smarter people than me are working very, very hard and developing crazy good technology to keep us all safe on the road. In the situation described above, I believe an auto braking function would have resulted in a crash at low speed. And since the truck had in fact intruded into our path, and while I believe there would have been a collision, at least the driver of the truck would have been faulted!

I believe that my instincts and reaction were correct: there was not time to stop, but there was time to steer! I can prove only the second part, since a collision was avoided. But I am left to wonder if programming can in fact replicate actual human instinct. Of course, development is advancing beyond collision avoidance and moving to full autonomy. And the car would not have been distracted and likely braked before we spotted the truck.

The Proof?

As if in response to my musings, within a few days Automotive News published an article titled “Why autonomous cars should drive the way we do”. Author Krishnan M. Anantharaman nails the problem, stating “As drivers, we’re never as comfortable as when we or someone with the same risk tolerance and driving style is at the wheel.” He is in effect telling his readers that the developers of autonomous cars are going beyond function and taking into account that each of us “must feel comfortable with the decisions those cars make on when to brake, how fast to accelerate, when to pass or how fast to take a turn.”

I hope they succeed…

Without telling him I intended this article, I asked my passenger if he thought there would have been time to stop. He said yes! In effect, we disagreed on the details of the situation: the distance the truck had intruded into the road and the distance between the truck and ourselves. And for the record, he was at greater risk – the truck had entered from the right.

My internal computer opted to steer, which worked. His internal computer would have opted for the brake, which we cannot test.

We wish the developers of autonomous vehicles the very best of luck! Mr. Anantharaman’s essentially concludes that my friend and I will choose very different autonomous vehicles in the future. Assuming there is a choice, I want programming with reflexes!

——————————————————————-

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2015/08/reflexes-or-programming-which-would-you-choose/