Monday, February 18, 2013

Different stakeholders, different "driverless cars" goals

Let’s list all possible good or bad reasons for driving a driverless car. Let’s also map them to the steps defined in a previous post: Driverless cars for the next decades in 4 steps

step 0: today’s self parking feature and Google carsstep 1: partially autonomous driverless carsstep 2: everyone can operate a driverless carstep 3: shared driverless cars and transforming our way of life
* eliminating accidents.
* relieving drivers from a tedious task.
* allow elders and kids to be transported without any driver.
* more traffic at the same time on roads.
* more fuel efficient driving.
* less cars in cities.
* getting the car tailored for the task you need.



step 1: partially autonomous driverless cars

From what can be read on the news the main goal of:
  • today’s drivers is to get relieved from the sometimes tedious task of driving, especially in traffic jam or on highways.
  • car manufacturers is about security:
    • Volvo’s vision: “no one is killed or injured in a new Volvo by 2020”
    • Continental foresee “a safer, more efficient and more comfortable future” due to driverless cars.
    • Mercedes, who will probably commercialize the first self driving car has no stated vision as far as I know.

It’s interessant to see that there are different goals between drivers and car manufacturers, but what does it means?

  • Do car manufacturers are aware of drivers’ goal?
  • Do acknowledging the fact that driving is boring, dangerous for car manufacturers’ business?
  • Do they want to aim their goal towards something more consensual?

What are the goals of governments?

3 comments:

  1. Only an accountant could think that a driverless car is a good idea. I know I will be in the minority but there is no way, in this world or the next that I will a) trust a car to drive me safely to where I need to be b) want to be ferried about in a computer controlled 'private bus'. I love driving and I will not give that up just because Volvo have produced a car that they believe to be 'Idiot proof'.

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    Replies
    1. I address your point in one of my other posts: "The revenge of faster horses"

      let's not forget this quote from Henry Ford: "If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have asked for a faster horse."

      Or this one from Steve jobs: "A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them."

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  2. That's absolutely true, if OEMs don't pay attention to the real needs of the consumer then obviously the time , money & efforts spent won't fetch any profits or benefits to the community

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