Google, Detroit diverge on road map for self-driving cars

Re:Google, Detroit diverge on road map for self-driving cars by derefr on Monday June 30, 2014 @04:00PM (#7967316)

Mind you, self-driving cars can find computing traveling-salesman routes slightly less of a hassle than humans do—and so punching into your phone that you'd be willing to carpool if it meant arriving faster would likely mean a car (whose occupant had expressed the same preference) immediately stopping on its way to wherever it was going and picking you up. Only the people who want complete privacy will have to wait.

Extend this thought to its logical conclusion, and you realize that (self-driving) commuter busses and light rail can be programmed into the network as plain-old cars that happen to have high occupant capacities. You set that you're willing to take a bus (and one is en route), it'll stop for you. You set that you want a less noisy/drunk/homeless-filled experience, and you get a car instead.

You could also set a price threshold, where everyone in the car must already be willing to pay as much as you are to be picked up there and then. Low threshold—a taxi-like sedan comes. High threshold—a limo.

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Re:Google, Detroit diverge on road map for self-driving cars by prawn on Monday June 30, 2014 @09:45PM (#7968778)

You beat me to posting this. I think we'll see automated public transport using minivans that can quickly navigate smaller streets. The route home might be different each time, but you'll always get an indication of ETA. Part of the hassle of catching a bus is the last mile and the wait. If a vehicle is arriving shortly after you hail it (or prebook it) and right at your location, those two factors are eliminated.

For the privacy factor, I think people will just get used to it as they have with current public transport, or tiers will be in operation (as you suggested) or someone will inevitably design a pod-based vehicle with seats facing port and starboard and a clever door system.

I do wonder if people will be uncomfortable with other passengers knowing exactly where they live and work? Perhaps designating pickup from the nearest corner would help with that, and pricing that encourages that (to save extra turns down side streets) will help too.

I wrote a bit more about all of these likely developments here for anyone else fascinated by the rise of automated vehicles: http://www.isaacforman.com.au/n/self-driving-cars/

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Re:Google, Detroit diverge on road map for self-driving cars by xur17 on Monday June 30, 2014 @10:20PM (#7968866)

I really do think this is the solution - if carpooling can be made as simple as checking a box, with time savings, and money savings, the only downside would be sharing a car, and a lot more people would do so. Demand and traffic would both be controlled by dynamically pricing 'private' vehicles.

Your phone could also learn your departure time, and automatically determine when there are cars available / pricing is optimal to tell you to leave.

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Re:Google, Detroit diverge on road map for self-driving cars by XorNot on Monday June 30, 2014 @11:55PM (#7969100)

You could road test this idea with existing public transport. It would be interesting to see buses turned loose with GPS guidance say, within a city centre.

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