Driver less cars, does this mean I will not need a driving licence?

[ericmark]

It seems first stage is ALKS (automated lane-keeping systems) but this is to be expanded,

In his 2017 Budget the then Chancellor Philip Hammond promised that driverless cars would be on British roads by 2021.

well I have had problems getting my licence renewed this year, as I hit 70 year old, needed new licence and old one still paper, so the on line licence renewal resulted in a form being sent to house that needed returning with photo and some one who has know me for three years who also has a licence and of some standing has to sign to say photo of me.

This was a problem as moved house so in this area very few people have known me for three years, and it was a 100 mile return trip through England or 150 mile if keeping in Wales to get some one to sign, which was not really safe with Colvid19 restrictions, I hope all sorted now, but although forms sent off, no acknowledgement the form even received never mind a new licence, and the on line bit says the 28 days to return form extended to 90 days, but not if you can drive in those 90 days.

OK I have another British licence for life, but then insurance may be a problem, (Falklands) so lucky wife can drive, but this has really brought home how much we rely on being able to pop to the shops in the car, I do not feel buses safe with Colvid19, and the trains when they do run, will only allow me to go to Welshpool and back, I can't leave the train.

So with all this the idea of a car I don't need a licence for seems good, considering an ebike, but the 16 mile return trip to shops and bank is not flat, so would take a lot of effort, and not sure roads really safe, the armaco barriers are the worst thing, being trapped between a vehicle and the barriers is not good, I think armaco barriers should be banned.

But I do like the idea of some thing I don't need a licence for, did try using mothers old mobility scooter, got loads of exercise pushing it home, OK in village, but 16 miles stretching it a bit.

 

[EddieM]

No chance of not needing a license to drive a car anytime soon.

 

[ericmark]

No chance of not needing a license to drive a car anytime soon.

I trust what government says, don't you?

 

[EddieM]

I trust what government says, don't you?

It doesn't say anything about not having a licence. It does say the driver has to be alert and take control, for which you would need to be competent to do so, competency to drive is conferred by having a driving license.

 

[Mottie]

So for people without licences that rely on cabs....forget it!

 

[ericmark]

OK tongue in cheek. I don't think we will see a true driverless car, at least in my life time. I would expect to see driverless trains first. Although trains can carry more passages to buses so a system failure could be worse, the likely scenarios are more predictable.

Can the car computer work out the diffrence with a black plastic bag blown by the wind, a badger or a child?

With a train all a driver can do is adjust speed, he can't swerve to miss one object and in doing so cause danger, so it seems trains should come first.

I think true driverless cars will not happen, I watched the video about pulling car out of traffic or simply stopping it, and the danger of another vehicle hitting it should it simply stop, I remember with small children in the car wanting to stop to sort them out and the problems finding some where to stop. So can't see what the video is demonstrating actually ever in real terms happening.

 

[johnny2007]

A solicitor would sign anything for a fee.
Go down your local one with your old driving licence and any other form of id and they'll sort it.

 

[Notch7]

Chap on the radio today was saying his S class Merc can change lane itself when cruise control on.

It also has hazard recognition - which brakes the car automatically - apparently his has seen a hazard twice, braked very hard and cause the person behind crashing into him,

 

[norseman]

D/L cars
Ill-conceived, pointless & dangerous.
The idea is spawned from greed & disregard for the possible consequences when something goes tits-up & then who carries the can ... the driver, vehicle manuf. or component supplier ?

 

[ericmark]

It seems the ALKS is to monitor the driver, and should try to wake him if he falls asleep, or he is not watching the road, trains had no seats for the drivers and a dead man's handle, with a seat the driver could slump onto the handle and train may continue, so lack of seat ensures driver releases the control if he falls asleep, the main problem with train drivers is they do so little, so easy to fall asleep, but we do more in a car, so less likely, however removing the need to steer means same as train, and same problem, more likely the driver falls asleep.

 

[EddieM]

It seems the ALKS is to monitor the driver, and should try to wake him if he falls asleep, or he is not watching the road, trains had no seats for the drivers and a dead man's handle, with a seat the driver could slump onto the handle and train may continue, so lack of seat ensures driver releases the control if he falls asleep, the main problem with train drivers is they do so little, so easy to fall asleep, but we do more in a car, so less likely, however removing the need to steer means same as train, and same problem, more likely the driver falls asleep.

The DLR has been driverless since inception.

 

[bernardgreen]

This is just another case of technology companies creating a new market for their expertise in leading edge technology.

And the gullible man in the street ( or in his car ) falls for the hype and does not see the hidden dangers of adopting that technology

 

[Munroast]

Chap on the radio today was saying his S class Merc can change lane itself when cruise control on.

It also has hazard recognition - which brakes the car automatically - apparently his has seen a hazard twice, braked very hard and cause the person behind crashing into him,

we have the latest merc GLA it has the hazard recognition and it is utterly hopeless, it has only once done a pointless brake for an imaginary hazard, but it is forever setting the pre-hazrd warning bleeper off for no good reason, (we have a dash cam so I can go back and study every incident, there is yet to be a reason)

The car is full of electronic crap that does notwork properly, we're a million mile of having a trustable driver-less car, or at least mercedes is.

 

[bernardgreen]

The DLR has been driverless since inception.

The trains are guided by the tracks they run on and "driven" by a "driver" in the central control room. Very different from a vehicle on a three lane motorway where the robot driver is reliant on being able to see white lines painted on the road surface.

 

[norseman]

we have the latest merc GLA it has the hazard recognition and it is utterly hopeless, it has only once done a pointless brake for an imaginary hazard, but it is forever setting the pre-hazrd warning bleeper off for no good reason.
The car is full of electronic crap that does notwork properly, we're a million mile of having a trustable driver-less car, or at least mercedes is.

My motto in life is KISS (keep it simple stupid) but of course if manuf. stuck to that they wouldn't make any money. Human life is totally expendable in the drive for greater wealth & a gullible public will allow it to happen.