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Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by heretohelp on Monday May 07, 2012 @10:25PM (#3941907)
Drunk-driving alone costs our country immeasurably in terms of human and economic cost. Eliminating the vast majority of infractions would be a real contribution to humanity.
Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by sk5t on Monday May 07, 2012 @10:49PM (#3941998)
Also, I approve of a future where ordinary people can travel without fear of fabricated botherment by the police. Driving a car has got to be the number one excuse for the USA's police to pull over and antagonize folks on the thinnest imaginable (or no) probable cause.
Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by lukeholder on Tuesday May 08, 2012 @01:06AM (#3942344)
the scary part will be when they can remotely order a car off the road through remote control with no cause.
Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by aggie on Tuesday May 08, 2012 @02:28AM (#3942517)
While I agree there will likely be remote disabling procedures for emergency/law enforcement reasons, I don't see where you get the "no cause" piece of your slippery slope. It seems it would be much easier to unjustly pull someone over with current human-operated cars; with automated cars, reasons such as "they were weaving" or other gray area justifications will no longer be available to LEOs.
Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by sgift on Tuesday May 08, 2012 @04:58AM (#3942819)
I'm curious now: They need a reason to pull you over in the USA? In Germany it is simply "routine check", which is a perfectly legal reason here.
Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by jeffool on Tuesday May 08, 2012 @05:07AM (#3942835)
Yes, there has to be a reason. Of course, it's very easy for an officer to say "He was weaving in traffic", or claiming you were speeding when you were not, or simply lie about you using a turn signal.

I'll bet most people have a story like that. Probably from when they were younger, but not necessarily. And that's not even getting into "driving while black" and the likes.

Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by strictfp on Tuesday May 08, 2012 @02:52AM (#3942571)
Maybe driving also lowers alcohol consumption?
Re:Google gets license to test drive autonomous cars on Neva... by wahnfrieden on Monday May 07, 2012 @11:15PM (#3942079)
Don't forget mortality rates for energy creation.