Google's Self-Driving Cars Don't Crash, People Crash Into Them

[Suika]

(click for source)

See the purple car making an unwise right turn, cutting off a self-driving car? That's not the first time.

 

As it stands, it's 0-11 after 6-years of progress. Google's self-driving car has caused exactly 0 accidents, with humans crashing into or causing an accident with the car 11 times. All of these were minor, and Google was sure to mention it wasn't their fault. While it's easy to say "it's not our fault," Google went ahead and started providing proof as to why it wasn't their fault.

 

If you spend enough time on the road, accidents will happen whether you’re in a car or a self-driving car. Over the 6 years since we started the project, we’ve been involved in 11 minor accidents (light damage, no injuries) during those 1.7 million miles of autonomous and manual driving with our safety drivers behind the wheel, and not once was the self-driving car the cause of the accident.

 

Rear-end crashes are the most frequent accidents in America, and often there’s little the driver in front can do to avoid getting hit; we’ve been hit from behind seven times, mainly at traffic lights but also on the freeway. We’ve also been side-swiped a couple of times and hit by a car rolling through a stop sign.

 

It's interesting to see how good the autonomous car has been, only 11 accidents and not a single one the fault of the car itself. More interestingly, the car is noticing a lot more obstacles than even humans. In the following image, a cyclist (the blue) had gotten a late start across the road. A car (purple) didn't notice and started taking a left turn, narrowly avoiding the cyclist. Google's car, however, completely stopped as it had recognized the cyclist when he got on the road, and waited for them to get across.

 

 

It's crazy to think that an autonomous car may be the smartest way to get from point A to B, people make too many errors. Am I upset with this? I dunno. I like driving, but dealing with other drivers on the road, I don't know if I want to drive. It would be an interesting move forward in the future at least, eliminating human drivers, making transportation safer. 

[Colonel_Gerdauf]

Wait... I thought this was about Chuck Norris...

[Kherm]

truly amazing

[Deli]

The point is people simply love to drive. You will never taken the right to drive from them.

[Thony]

For some reason the title made me jiggle .

Can't believe its been 6 years :-O

I wonder if some people just follow it when they find one

[BoredErica]

I think as a matter of morality and safety we need to push for driver-less cars harder. It will save many lives. Insurance companies be bickering over who's fault it would be if there is an accident and who pays for it while people are dying.

[BOT Edward]

The point is people simply love to drive. You will never taken the right to drive from them.

No but you can sure as hell tax it

[christianled59]

In the first image, how stupid do you have to be to make that turn?

*in turn left only lane*

*turns fucking right*

Edit:Nevermind I can't tell if it's the car in the left lane or turn left lane. Still, why would someone be that stupid to turn right in a left lane at all?

[Misanthrope]

This gets worst on places and countries (sadly, like mine) where there is little consequence to this behavior on the road which makes people behave extra stupidly, aggressively and vindictively on the road

[Deli]

No but you can sure as hell tax it

If any government dares to impose high tax on drivers, it will be voted out in the next election.

[DeViLzzz]

The point is people simply love to drive. You will never taken the right to drive from them.

Well then they can drive cars that have locked down speeds that always follow the speed limit.  Also if they want to drive for sport there is always the option of participating in motor sports both at an amateur level and pro level.  Last but not least I have to say is that it is not true that all people simply love to drive.  I have been on many a road trip and been in the city with drivers and I was the passenger and they surely didn't look like they were having fun.  I think making the roads safe is more important and if they can do this without self driving cars but people need to be accepting of much slower speed limits which at this point I don't see them being.  Therefore I like the push of self driving cars.

[Delusional Phil]

The point is people simply love to drive. You will never taken the right to drive from them.

Would you love driving after you've been in a crash ? 

[DeViLzzz]

I think as a matter of morality and safety we need to push for driver-less cars harder. It will save many lives. Insurance companies be bickering over who's fault it would be if there is an accident and who pays for it while people are dying.

Insurance companies make loads of money off their business and so honestly with the way the world works and money talks I don't see them going down without a fight which will include them bribing politicians to make sure that speed limits are not too low and that self driving cars don't make the roads ever or do in limited numbers.  Sadly once again commerce kills what should be done for the world.

[ObeseWalrus]

I will still stand by that you can take control any time you want.

[gill2k]

I don't mind self-driving cars going mainstream.  It'd serve us well for our long summer road trips!

[Deli]

Well then they can drive cars that have locked down speeds that always follow the speed limit.  Also if they want to drive for sport there is always the option of participating in motor sports both at an amateur level and pro level.  Last but not least I have to say is that it is not true that all people simply love to drive.  I have been on many a road trip and been in the city with drivers and I was the passenger and they surely didn't look like they were having fun.  I think making the roads safe is more important and if they can do this without self driving cars but people need to be accepting of much slower speed limits which at this point I don't see them being.  Therefore I like the push of self driving cars.

Maybe I should say "many" people love to drive. 

 

I'm not against self-driving car. But people should have choices. If they prefer to have control of the vehicle, they should have the right to do so.

[Deli]

Would you love driving after you've been in a crash ? 

Sorry, my wording causes some confusion. I actually mean "many" people love to drive.

[DeViLzzz]

Maybe I should say "many" people love to drive. 

 

I'm not against self-driving car. But people should have choices. If they prefer to have control of the vehicle, they should have the right to do so.

My political beliefs involve people not always having a choice.  Do we really need to give people a choice in everything they do if the choice they make does not help better society as a whole?

[givingtnt]

11 times someone saw a google self driving car and though : i wonder if it will break if i run in front of it

[Deli]

Insurance companies make loads of money off their business and so honestly with the way the world works and money talks I don't see them going down without a fight which will include them bribing politicians to make sure that speed limits are not too low and that self driving cars don't make the roads ever or do in limited numbers.  Sadly once again commerce kills what should be done for the world.

That's how the world works. We still have tobacco companies........

[DeViLzzz]

That's how the world works. We still have tobacco companies........

Sadly yes this is the way the world works right now.

[BoredErica]

Insurance companies make loads of money off their business and so honestly with the way the world works and money talks I don't see them going down without a fight which will include them bribing politicians to make sure that speed limits are not too low and that self driving cars don't make the roads ever or do in limited numbers.  Sadly once again commerce kills what should be done for the world.

Well, in some cases it is believed that with normal human drivers and lower speed limits, there is a point where lowering it further increases fatalities because you end up with a wider variance in how fast people end up driving, and that is a safety hazard. I see your point though.

 

That's how the world works. We still have tobacco companies........

Well, that's the way most parts of the world works.

I think it depends on statistics and how much destruction bad drivers can do if they want to drive. That's something I think we have little data on. It will probably be easier to answer once a lot of people use self-driving cars. The conversation is more nuanced than that, of course.

[Deli]

My political beliefs involve people not always having a choice.  Do we really need to give people a choice in everything they do if the choice they make does not help better society as a whole?

I get your idea. But things aren't always so black and white. Many things can be benefit to the society as a whole by taking away individual rights. For example, eating junk food. If the government sets the laws what you can and cannot eat. So fast food, no potato clips, no soft drinks and alcohol. How would you feel? 

 

There needs to be a compromise individual rights/choices and benefit of the whole society. 

[HippY]

The point is people simply love to drive. You will never taken the right to drive from them.

you are not right

 

Yes, we have an enthusiasts but we are not that much compared the everyday commuter drivers.

Although we would be that many that several company will start creating drivable cars for us, and there are still track days.

Self driving cars MUST come, as most of us are not called Artyon Senna...

 

 

I will still stand by that you can take control any time you want.

I am not sure whether it would be a good idea. If you do not pay attention then you try to do something immediate it could cause serious problem, whereas these machines can see in 360 degree and alert 24/7. They must be well tested until you can travel them do not worry

[NateGSR117]

Because of people, that why you watch out for stupid drivers and not necessarily your own driving.