Will self driving cars ever take off in Thailand?

[IMHO]

it won't happen, not even in the US. what will happen is assisted driving, maybe similar the concept of 'auto pilot' in the airline industry. but you still need a driver similar to you still need a pilot flying the airplane.

This is the way I see it too... it will result in some great assistive technologies - but let's hope they're better than lane keeping assist systems that practically force you to hit motorbikes right now

I see it working within special zones though.

E.g. make the CBD in London a driverless car only zone. All taxis and driverless vans of course. You park your regular car in special areas on the fringe, then "Johnny Cab" from there, and back. They would all be EV's of course, so you're solving the pollution problem at the same time, and charging worries are a thing of the past, because they only need a few mile range seeing as they can recharge as required. It won't be expensive because there are no driver salaries to pay, and the cars themselves can be extremely simple - e.g. they don't need crumple zones, dashboards, steering wheels etc, right?

And crucially, it all works because they are controlled as a single hive.

Edited January 11, 2016 by IMHO

[aronp1]

Name one insurance company that will cover them.

One of the engineers for Google, his car is self driven. Maybe could find out the name of the insurance company he uses. I can't see a reason why insurance companies wouldn't be pleased to insure a vehicle that is safer than a car driven by a human.

[steve73]

it won't happen, not even in the US. what will happen is assisted driving, maybe similar the concept of 'auto pilot' in the airline industry. but you still need a driver similar to you still need a pilot flying the airplane.

Most commercial aircraft don't require pilots to get from A to B. A/c can take off, navigate, aviate, and land automatically. They can even divert around weather systems if required. It's often stated that the pilots are there IF anything goes wrong, but in many recent accidents the pilots have actually compromised the issues and made the situation worse. The main role of the pilot nowadays is simply to reassure the flying public...!

Driverless cars (trucks, busses, etc.) will be in common use much sooner than you think; perhaps even making significant inroads to Thailand in the next 10-15 years, although somchai will still be driving his beaten-up pick-up truck out in the boonies until it completely falls apart in 50-60+ years.

[Krataiboy]

Will self driving cars ever take off in Thailand?

Only when they have wings. Oh, and even then the driver will have to run really hard and jump in the air at exactly the right moment.

Still interested, Somchai?

[elgordo38]

I'm not talking right now.

The developers will be able to PROVE lower accident rates eventually, and the insurance companies will love it.

Anyway, the PRESUMPTION of this thread is that this IS coming in the west, not an argument that it isn't.

So for those who are able to follow this presumption ... and understand the great difference with traffic in Thailand, that is my question here.

IF it takes off in the west, will Thailand ever follow, and if so, how many years or decades later?

Yes I am picturing my local rice farmer going down the street in a self driving car. He is having trouble surviving putting food on the table planting a money loosing crop and now he is buying a self driving car? Give me a break.

[elgordo38]

Spend the money to teach people the world over to drive, and all this will be pointless. If you want a self driving car, take a bus or taxi.

Same as all this lane assist, following too close, auto headlight switches, - fluff for an unsuspecting public caught up in needing the newest and best, even if it dumbs them down in the process. Fashion over function Mak Mak

Yes your point is well made. I take a tuk tuk or a bus or ride my bike. All this new tech stuff you state is great as long as the vehicle is under warranty. I guess these cars will be the same as all the other junk we buy. Use it till the warranty expires and then trade it in again (great for companies selling this and your friendly banker guy) or just junk it like all the present 3 year marvels that we buy which after 3 years are outdated. Our throw away society takes another step up the economic ladder. My present mobile works great found it laying by the side of the road charger and all. Now my mobile company tells me the phone will soon no longer support 2G. What a ripoff.

Edited January 11, 2016 by elgordo38

[DrTuner]

They're coming. Google or Tesla or some one will set up their own insurance companies to get it started. I personally can't wait, I'd root the blood thing on day 1 and hack in some serious road warrior code.

[Jingthing]

They're coming. Google or Tesla or some one will set up their own insurance companies to get it started. I personally can't wait, I'd root the blood thing on day 1 and hack in some serious road warrior code.

I heard something similar. It was a little vague but something on the lines that they are becoming so confident of their safety that they will just pay for accidents caused by the car and that the accidents were generally coming from driving error of human drivers. Of course that works in insurance systems where blame is established. It isn't always that clean.

[IMHO]

They're coming. Google or Tesla or some one will set up their own insurance companies to get it started. I personally can't wait, I'd root the blood thing on day 1 and hack in some serious road warrior code.

Great - you've just brought up another major case against them - cyberattacks and hacks.

[IMHO]

I heard something similar. It was a little vague but something on the lines that they are becoming so confident of their safety that they will just pay for accidents caused by the car and that the accidents were generally coming from driving error of human drivers. Of course that works in insurance systems where blame is established. It isn't always that clean.

The one saying they'd foot the bill for accidents was Volvo - who don't yet have functioning driverless tech, or terribly reliable crash avoidance tech either:

Edited January 11, 2016 by IMHO

[Robert24]

it won't happen, not even in the US. what will happen is assisted driving, maybe similar the concept of 'auto pilot' in the airline industry. but you still need a driver similar to you still need a pilot flying the airplane.

Most commercial aircraft don't require pilots to get from A to B. A/c can take off, navigate, aviate, and land automatically. They can even divert around weather systems if required. It's often stated that the pilots are there IF anything goes wrong, but in many recent accidents the pilots have actually compromised the issues and made the situation worse. The main role of the pilot nowadays is simply to reassure the flying public...!

Driverless cars (trucks, busses, etc.) will be in common use much sooner than you think; perhaps even making significant inroads to Thailand in the next 10-15 years, although somchai will still be driving his beaten-up pick-up truck out in the boonies until it completely falls apart in 50-60+ years.

as you point out, the technology is there to fly by computer from A to B but yet nobody would feel comfortable doing that. You want a human to take over when the auto pilot disengages because there is some situation the computer couldn't handle. The same will be for driving. Regulators won't allow driverless cars or trucks.

[Jingthing]

It's not there YET for widespread adoption. I think with 10 years it's going to big in the west. I wonder if the idea of getting a driver's license based on competence will make much sense for kids in the future. I never learned to drive a stick. If the first car you get drives itself why do you even need to know HOW to drive?

Edited January 11, 2016 by Jingthing

[IMHO]

Regulators won't allow driverless cars or trucks.

Correct

http://www.wsj.com/articles/california-proposes-rules-for-autonomous-cars-1450293308

[IMHO]

it won't happen, not even in the US. what will happen is assisted driving, maybe similar the concept of 'auto pilot' in the airline industry. but you still need a driver similar to you still need a pilot flying the airplane.

Most commercial aircraft don't require pilots to get from A to B. A/c can take off, navigate, aviate, and land automatically. They can even divert around weather systems if required. It's often stated that the pilots are there IF anything goes wrong, but in many recent accidents the pilots have actually compromised the issues and made the situation worse. The main role of the pilot nowadays is simply to reassure the flying public...!

Driverless cars (trucks, busses, etc.) will be in common use much sooner than you think; perhaps even making significant inroads to Thailand in the next 10-15 years, although somchai will still be driving his beaten-up pick-up truck out in the boonies until it completely falls apart in 50-60+ years.

as you point out, the technology is there to fly by computer from A to B but yet nobody would feel comfortable doing that. You want a human to take over when the auto pilot disengages because there is some situation the computer couldn't handle. The same will be for driving. Regulators won't allow driverless cars or trucks.

What about trains?

If there was ever a prime candidate for totally driverless transport, surely that's the natural choice.

[IMHO]

It's not just pre-production Volvo's that have issues:

Volvo are all alone though. Here's a Mazda CX-5 also failing to avoid an accident:

I haven't got footage, but I can also tell you that Blind Spot Monitoring and Adaptive cruise control are both useless when it's raining, and the only times Lane Keeping Assist activate is when you're purposely crossing the white line to avoid a motorcycle or kamikaze pedestrian/dog - and the default setting is for it to take over the steering and kill them. If you car has this feature, disable it, or set it to buzz the steering wheel only.

Blind faith in these technologies is not clever.

Edited January 11, 2016 by IMHO

[sirwilly]

LOL By the state of the driving in Thailand,I thought they were self driving now.

[Balance]

Are you kidding. Self drive cars adhere to accepted rules of the road and safety standards.

[bazza40]

I was under the impression many cars in Thailand are driverless already.

[mogandave]

They're coming. Google or Tesla or some one will set up their own insurance companies to get it started. I personally can't wait, I'd root the blood thing on day 1 and hack in some serious road warrior code.

I don't see insuring the drivers as the issue, car companies can do that easily. I think the problem is the manufacturer's liability.

Of course they all say they can make it work, there's nothing else they can say.

[mogandave]

Oh, and to be clear, drones aren't pilotless, the pilot is on the ground.

[Jingthing]

I think the already big companies that are going to be the early big players in this revolution will be more than willing to take some losses in the early years of it in order to grab a big market share.

[mogandave]

I think the already big companies that are going to be the early big players in this revolution will be more than willing to take some losses in the early years of it in order to grab a big market share.

Yeah, like Prodigy?

The liability is huge. We're not talking a couple of bad quarters, we're talking bankruptcy. I doubt any automaker could be approved to self insure in the US.

[Jingthing]

We'll see. I think this is inevitable but the details need to be worked out. I'm curious about some of the fuzzy logic parts of it. Suppose you're driving to a shopping mall with a huge lot and you really care about being parked closer in that day for whatever reason. How does the car know how long you're willing for it to cruise around to find a better space when it could have found a space quickly further away? That kind of thing. I suppose in the future future the spaces will communicate with the cars and perhaps your car can BOOK it.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Jingthing

[slipperylobster]

They are already self driving...like the buses. When the drivers drop their cell phones and let go of the steering wheel...they just go on their own. (straight off the cliff)

Edited January 11, 2016 by slipperylobster

[Dumbastheycome]

Current promotions for car sales promote....safety components to keep you safe....and performance features that satisfy your maniacal desires!

Autonomous vehicles can only become mainstream if the mindset of " drivers" is altered to acceptance of being a passenger in your personal bus.

And of it comes to that situation then rapid transit trains would be more practical.

Multiple( commonly) single occupant units clogging increasingly congested roading systems to satisfy individual expressionof the right is becoming farcical. In horse and carriage days the average speed in mid New York was twice the speed it is now.

A huge part of the problem is in the profit area. Political involvement with both automobile production and fuel sales is endemic.

The market price of all mass produced vehicles is around 1000% of production cost regardless of promotional feautures. And in the interest of that the obsolescence factors are progressively being reduced. Manufacturers intended life is now 3 years average. Thus the massive generic "after market" industry.

The whole question about autonomous vehicles is somewhat absurd .

The world population is in an exponential increase. Decade by decade the movement of individuals or collectively will place demands on roading that will likely be unsustainable if the current ideology is perpetuated. As important is the factor of goods transportation. To service the daily demands of the population there will be an increase in trucking /freight transport. Both share the same roadings systems.

For whatever reason many countries have devolved rail transport infrastructure. Thailand at least is moving to increase and enhance it.

Perhaps it will lessen/ nullify the impact of freight movement on roading systems at least.

But I can guess that in Thailand the idea of giving control of your vehicle to electronic supervision will be a very very hardsell to people who seem to percieve driving as individual " control" in a singular arena of life.

Edited January 11, 2016 by seedy
font

[IMHO]

We'll see. I think this is inevitable but the details need to be worked out. I'm curious about some of the fuzzy logic parts of it. Suppose you're driving to a shopping mall with a huge lot and you really care about being parked closer in that day for whatever reason. How does the car know how long you're willing for it to cruise around to find a better space when it could have found a space quickly further away? That kind of thing. I suppose in the future future the spaces will communicate with the cars and perhaps your car can BOOK it.

You haven't thought far enough ahead.

The car drops you off at the door, then goes off to find an available recharging station.

When you're finished shopping, you hail it back to the front door using your smart phone/watch.

The challenge is, identifying your bubble car from the line of exactly the same bubble cars in the pickup queue

Edited January 11, 2016 by IMHO

[mortenaa]

Every "driverless" car I have seen on television is on a track. I even saw one stupid stunt about one that could recognise people shaped objects in its path. They shoved a shop manniquin on wheels in front of the car and it immediately swerved around it...great !!! In a real traffic situation, right into oncoming traffic...!!!

Many of these cars work by detecting what is going on around them. In Thailand this can be at best described as totally manic. The car would never leave the kerb side. When you even have someone pushing what is actually a kitchen on wheels with boiling oil, water and an open fire burning away on it right in the middle of mad rush hour traffic. Insurance companies are going to have a field day.....remember there is no laws about litigation here, the fallang is to blame everytime.....

I know who is behind these madcap ideas...lazy computer geeks that never lift their heads from a PC Screen, phone screen or laptop and live in a geeky techy bubble. The fact that they want to be totally fixated on their computerised devise during their every waking moment does not tie in with sitting in a car and having to bleeding well concentrate on something important, and they have never been outside California never mind drive in Bangkok.

Maybe in 2525 when humans have morphed into a fat cyclops blob, with no legs and one arm with one finger and a thumb on the end of it, jabbing away at some inane Crystal game for 6 years olds.

So in answer to JT.....No

Have u ever seen a Tesla on the motorway?

[mortenaa]

Self driving cars are already here. Thousands of people are driving them every day

The system is self learning, and learn from other peoples driving behavior. In two - three years we will already have fully autonumous cars driving on the roads. Lets say 10 years in Thailand.

[Robert24]

Self driving cars are already here. Thousands of people are driving them every day

The system is self learning, and learn from other peoples driving behavior. In two - three years we will already have fully autonumous cars driving on the roads. Lets say 10 years in Thailand.

have you watched the video? I thought tesla auto pilot could do more. The video shows more an enhanced cruise control. He had to change lanes himself, set speed himself, start/stop at green/red lights. I thought I've seen a video before where Tesla had more advanced capabilities.

[mortenaa]

have you watched the video? I thought tesla auto pilot could do more. The video shows more an enhanced cruise control. He had to change lanes himself, set speed himself, start/stop at green/red lights. I thought I've seen a video before where Tesla had more advanced capabilities.

The software is getting updated all the time. It's self learning. That video was a few months old. Latest software can autopark in your garage.