XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com   
      
   Bernard Peek  wrote   
   > Doc O'Leary wrote   
      
   >> So while self-driving cars are definitely possible, my point remains   
   >> that they'll be ushered in surrounded by a cloud of changes to the way   
   >> the world works.  Some of those changes will be easy to predict, and   
   >> some with be complete surprises.  It's just outright*wrong*  if all you   
   >> do is apply today's thinking to a world where a fanciful technology is   
   >> commonplace.   
      
   > I could probably put together a design for self-driving cars that could be   
   > built with today's technology. What I can't see is a transition state   
   > where some cars are self-driving and others aren't. I think it might have   
   > to be a big-bang transition where from 00:00 on day zero all cars are   
   > required to have all of the systems in place and operational. Cars (and   
   > other vehicles) without the system become museum pieces literally   
   > overnight. It might be simpler (and cheaper) to build a completely new   
   > system and scrap every existing vehicle rather than trying to retrofit   
   > vehicles that were not designed to be self-driving.   
      
   The only thing that will ever work is to have robot cars coexist with human   
   driven cars.   
      
   That's how we did the change from horse drawn to human driven cars.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)