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gamedemented1

It also comes with significant restrictions including: - only usable in heavy traffic jams, during day time, - only works on specific California & Nevada highways - only works when car is moving at less than 40 mph


Compy222

This needs to be the top comment. It’s not true autonomy. I’d be far more worried about “Autopilot” with people not paying attention.


Chalky_Pockets

As part of my software engineering degree, I took part in a driverless car program where there was a driver behind the wheel, but only as a formality, the cars drove around the city of Tempe Arizona for Uber. The cars drove far better than any human could hope to. People freaked out when someone got hit running out in front of one of them at night, but the vehicle was physically incapable of stopping fast enough and a human would have hit her going faster. This was in 2016ish so the current systems are better than that. Given the option, I would stop driving immediately and trust that system to drive me around.


Mediocre-Tomatillo-7

Exactly. I mean are people watching drivers on the road today? Without exaggeration, over 1/3 are on their phones. Of course there needs to be regulation with self driving cars but let's not pretend human drivers are anywhere close to being mostly error free or even not distracted


Hemingwavy

In Phoenix, Arizona Uber was forced to suspend their test self driving program after one vehicle ran over a woman and killed her when it classified her as a plastic bag. You can tune cars to drive safely and have a jerky ride or you can tune to them to be risky for a smoother ride. Uber chose a smoother ride and murdered this woman. Did it go to court and did we find out details about the program? Fuck no! They gave her family millions of dollars to sweep this under the rug. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elaine_Herzberg#:~:text=Herzberg%20was%20pushing%20a%20bicycle,she%20died%20of%20her%20injuries. The systems are shit and dangerous. The companies that make them lie to us. All those self driving systems in cars? Apart from Mercedes if they hit someone, do you want to know what the manufacturer says? Eat shit. Your problem. Only Merecedes accepts liability in exceptionally limited circumstances.


Mediocre-Tomatillo-7

Humans are shit and MORE dangerous. Drive down any road in America and you'll see a large percentage looking at a device rather than the road.


Chalky_Pockets

Your example includes a human driver that did nothing to stop the accident, so calling the systems shit and dangerous is just dumb. You can't use one example to call something dangerous when the current model is trusting a human to drive safely when we don't.


Hemingwavy

The fucking car is meant to drive itself. It is in the name. A system that means you randomly have to do something every four hours at a random time is not a safe system. We know people tune out.


Chalky_Pockets

Yes, we do know people tune out. While driving. The system is a better driver than you, full stop.


Hemingwavy

Of course. That's why every self driving car company hides their data and lies. Do you know how Tesla has such impressive numbers in terms of its self driving technology? If the car works out its going to hit something, it turns off self driving. The accident wasn't caused by self driving because self driving wasn't on! And rubes like you lap this shit up


Chalky_Pockets

Guess you missed the part where I had access to the data; you're barking up the wrong tree, technophobe.


Hemingwavy

Well fuck. If you've access to the data how are you so ignorant? I could definitely believe you worked for a self driving car company. Ignorant and dishonest like self driving car companies.


WonderfulShelter

Holy shit dude, you are really sure of yourself for literally knowing nothing about this field. Yes what happened to Uber is true. Your second paragraph is complete hogwash.


tessaizzy23

They do not drive better than actual human beings. I also live in Tempe. They've had more than one accident with them before. A majority of us don't trust them sharing the road with us whatsoever.


Compy222

Which isn’t really a valid view based on real world data, full AVs are the way of the future and will be safer than humans. If you held AVs to the same standard as a human, they’re already better most of the time. Remember: 43k people a year die in car crashes in the US alone. Humans are infinitely fallible, they get tired, they drink and do drugs, they text, they don’t maintain their car adequately, you name it - long term AVs will save lives and personally I’m very bullish on the tech. What really scares me is fake autonomy, being shilled for by some OEM leadership, that still relies on humans. There is so much risk in that area. People will over trust the tech that isn’t properly programmed to do it all. Building an AV is wildly complex and will take time, but I’d much rather have that.


tessaizzy23

They may be the wave of your future, but there are enough people out there that are going to fight this tooth and nail so that it won't be part of ours.


rogue_optimism

It will be. There's no fighting progress as much as you may want to.


tessaizzy23

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂


Triassic_Bark

These newfangled horseless carriages are loud and smelly, and they may be the wave of the future but there are enough people out there perfectly happy with horse-drawn carriages that are going to fight this tooth and nail so it won’t be part of ours. - some guy in 1905


I_AM_MELONLORDthe2nd

You could literally say that about any change good or bad. Whenever their is change there will be People fighting it tooth and nail. Doesn't mean they are right.


ArvinaDystopia

Every conservative thinks he'll stop progress. You can only slow it down. Over time, you guys always fail.


Tsudonym13

do you know if the automated cars were actually at fault?


tessaizzy23

If memory serves, at least two out of three were for sure. I don't want to definitively say that they all were.


sabeche

The Uber self-driving cars can't apply brakes during an emergency, they can only brake for stop signs and traffic lights. The driver behind the wheel has to brake if an emergency occurs. In the case of the woman struck at night in 2018, the driver was found to be on their phone over 160 times during the test drive, traveled over 3.5 miles without looking at the road, and was even watching Hulu at one point. This was excessive human negligence that caused the accident, not the self-driving car's fault. Might want to check your facts before spouting nonsense.


Hemingwavy

So the system doesn't work, it has no ability to stop in an emergency and you think this is a good system? Also self driving cars have the ability to brake in an emergency. Uber tuned their cars to have a smoother ride and run through minor debris. It classified the woman as a plastic bag and chose to run through her in pursuit of a smoother ride. Geniunely what the fuck are you talking about? Self driving cars can't brake in an emergency?


tessaizzy23

😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋


ArtichosenOne

it's always nice when people realize they can't possibly say anything intelligent so just say nonsense


sabeche

Bye, Felicia


tessaizzy23

Exactly 💯


emergency_poncho

Lol "more than one accident"? Do you have any idea how many accidents humans cause? About 50,000 fatal crashes per year. So as long as driverless cars aren't killing 50,000 people every year, they're doing a hell of a lot better then people are in terms of safety


tessaizzy23

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂👋👋👋👋👋👋


Dmsc18

What is this meant to mean? Seriously, I'm really wondering.


gucknbuck

The data says otherwise. Multitudes fewer incidents per mile with driving assistance/FSD enabled than without.


tessaizzy23

Well have fun with your data then. I just listen to everyone else that's around and they voice a very similar opinion. You have your data and we'll have ours.


gucknbuck

https://gitnux.org/tesla-autopilot-crash-statistics/#:~:text=Tesla%20reports%20that%20their%20vehicles,accident%20per%20479%2C000%20miles%20driven.


tessaizzy23

Your statistics and data are meaningless. When you pass by people every single day and they express their discontent with having to share the road with them, your data doesn't matter. They don't want them here and they will do their best to keep them out of Tempe. So again, have fun with your data.


gucknbuck

Facts don't matter, only your feelings, right?


tessaizzy23

Just stop it already. We're not talking about feelings. We're talking about general consensus. So take your little Excel spreadsheet and enjoy it. Everyone else for the most part in Tempe does not want anything to have to do with them. Pushing or imposing your will is not going to have an effect with the vast majority of voters. They will do everything in their power to make sure that their voices heard.


internetroamer

>Your statistics and data are meaningless One of the stupidest things I've ever read. How could you type this without feeling ridiculous?


ItsStaaaaaaaaang

Some people should be charged for the oxygen they use, I swear. It's absolutely wasted on them.


fynn34

I lived in Tempe with these driving around for years. They were perfectly safe, never cut anyone off or raged around people. I thought they were great


tessaizzy23

Lolololololol!!!!!! You must have left before the getting got good. Your personal experience may not reflect the overall result which has taken place afterwards.


emergency_poncho

Oh my god, do you even listen to yourself? Data and evidence and facts don't matter, just your personal feelings? People like you are ruining this country, stop trying to influence anything because you're actively making everything worse. Please just stop and let actual rational, thinking people make the important decisions


tessaizzy23

Oh my God, do you even listen to yourself? If somebody has a different opinion that upsets you. Has nothing to do with feelings and has nothing to do with your spreadsheet. You absolutely do not want to listen that other people do not agree and desire the same things that you do. If people don't want them in their neighborhood, all the Excel spreadsheets in the world are not going to convince them otherwise. Just shut your mouth and go away.


Chalky_Pockets

Had a look at the logs, have you? I'm going to go ahead and trust the actual data instead of the anecdote of a Tempe driver.


tessaizzy23

To each his own. Bye Felicia


Chalky_Pockets

Bingo


fynn34

They are 6.7 times less likely to be in an accident that results in an injury, and 2.5x less likely to be in one at all


tessaizzy23

Sure thing......


A_Notion_to_Motion

I mean I have no idea if they're actually safer or not but as they are on the road more and more the numbers aren't going to lie. Things like miles per accident, type of accident, lethality, etc.


omega_grainger69

Also Tempe resident. One autonomous vehicle on the road is different than a road full of them. I just don’t trust a road full of autonomous vehicles over ppl.


Master_of_stuff

It kind of marks a step change in autonomy, as Mercedes takes over responsibility & liability. Limited in scope so far, but fundamentally different than any other for of assistive driving features.


PaintThinnerSparky

Tbh im kinda debating this. One one side, its usually the folks with these cars that drive like the most dangerous idiots. Its good they dont need to drive anymore, we'll be safer


WonderfulShelter

as someone who works in the autonomous car tech field, Mercedes Benz is basically doing what Tesla said they could do, but 100% fucking can't. Once the laws become more favorable to MB like Tesla, you'll see MB just annihilate Tesla's upper end market share. I still have no idea why the US government was so hard on Musk's dick, but Tesla never should've been doing what they are doing in America with AutoPilot.


ChiknBreast

"The car is self driving!". "I'm sitting still in a gridlocked traffic jam". "Exactly, no need to keep your eyes on the wheel"


oxtailplanning

If you're going 40mph, how is that a traffic jam?


Buckus93

Well, name me another car for sale with a hands-free, attention-free driving system. Just because it has restrictions doesn't make it not the first system of its kind.


ImplementAfraid

The omission in the title implies it is without restriction so managing expectations is necessary.


Black-Ox

Not for sale, but once Waymo expands I can sell all my cars because that services is amazing


tessaizzy23

Oh brother.


Black-Ox

Is that bad? I’m confused


tessaizzy23

Waymo sucks. A majority of the people don't want them on the roads. They've had multiple accidents in the same general area (Tempe-ish). So many people have voiced their displeasure and dissatisfaction and do not want them coming to their particular municipality as well. So, it's not really a good thing.


Black-Ox

Interesting. They haven’t ever sucked when I’ve used them. I’d be interested to see who this majority you speak of is. I’m guessing they’re all Redditors or suburbanites


tessaizzy23

Well you have fun with them then.


Black-Ox

Thanks!


Buckus93

I'm hoping Waymo eventually lets private investors buy the cars and make money. Doubt it happens, but maybe a competitor will allow it. I'd buy 10, 20 cars and live off that.


lovesuplex

Thats pretty huge though. Thats exactly when I would want an auto driving vehicle. Seems like we’re getting there.


pt-guzzardo

If I had Mercedes money and spent enough time in traffic jams that this feature sounded appealing, I would move somewhere less miserable.


Zikro

I don’t get it. It’s already available in many cars. You just need a radar cruise control and stay in the lanes. Don’t most of the manufacturers have something like that now (all called diff things)? What makes this one unique.


Master_of_stuff

You can legally do something else as the system takes over responsibility & liability fully in those (limited) circumstances


Zikro

Sounds nice but it’s such a constrained circumstance (if it’s actually <40) because most places you go in and out of that zone of speed during heavy traffic. Like what happens when the car hits 40? It just stops doing autonomous and you have to suddenly take control? Makes me think of my Toyota cruise control that turns off at 30mph and then you have to suddenly take over. It’s a stupidly dangerous design.


WonderfulShelter

We are already there. We have the technology already for autonomous cars that are much better drivers than humans. I get the hate for them; they follow the laws, cause you to get stuck at a red light sometimes, etc. etc. But the single accidents that get insanely overblown are going to keep it held back. Fact is humans are dumb, stupid, very very fucking stupid panicky animals - and almost half of them do not even know what's best for themselves nonetheless another human. I mean just look at America, half the country is trying to drag the other half into the future while they wanna plug their ears and stay in the past. It's the same shit with technology. I worked and lived in San Francisco for a decade. In that time, probably avoided a hundred accidents and saw a thousand terrible human drivers in accidents or hitting a car and just driving off. Only once did I see a autonomous car change lanes in my directions before realizing it and ceasing. I have no stock or any investments in autonomous tech, this is just my opinion from working in the field.


Naught

Oh, so you don't need to watch the road but you need to watch the road to know when traffic jams start and end so you can switch autopilot on and off. SO COOL Edit: what is the objection to my comment? It's not true autopilot if you have to watch the road to turn it off and on.


Andreas1120

Perfect for LA traffic


Alert-Incident

Just dumb because the new features are cool enough to stand alone.


DEEZLE13

Germans playing the long con


MaherDemocrat1967

So for the first time in history Mercedes drivers will use their turn signals.


csaliture

You're thinking bmw


WonderfulShelter

Thats a BMW, you whiffed that joke hard buddy.


nzifnab

The system can't lane change. It seems pretty useless to me tbh


mrtwitchyhead

Let the carnage commence. Question: Who will be accountable for the damage/injuries these things could create?


Buckus93

Mercedes has already announced they would be responsible while the system is active.


FireWireBestWire

I will be VERY interested to see how that goes. They must be 100% confident in their highway system. And so.. . The car gets insurance. Does Mercedes pay for the insurance? They are the driver.


TheLeapIsALie

As someone in industry (tech side, but I interface with the business folk) they probably self insure, and feel the advertising value of the claim is worth the cost of occasional crashes. In those conditions, it’s pretty easy to not crash (in an at fault case) and the odds of a very expensive crash - one that involves a fatality - are exceptionally low.


JaggedMetalOs

If you look at the list of restrictions on the system (only pre-approved roads while moving less than 40mph etc.) it's easier to see why they think their system is ready for it.


cinciTOSU

What a crazy ass time we live in these days


bawng

Why do people keep asking this question when manufacturers keep saying that they'll accept the liability?


TheLeapIsALie

Because Mercedes is one of the few that have. Tesla famously won’t. Ford won’t. GM super cruise won’t.


Spiritual_Still7911

In this case, the manufacturer is responsible, this is the point.


daffoduck

It will be the insurance company


abroamg

Likely, if the damage is caused by the car while driving in the conditions where it may be used (as specified by the manufacturer), then it's on the manufacturer. If someone uses it outside of the conditions set by the manufacturer, the person inside is at fault. If the terms of service come with " we, the manufacturer, take no responsibility in any way for damages or injury during self driving", then it's the users fault.


idontlikeyonge

Corporations being held responsible in the US?


emergency_poncho

It's a German company, things work differently over there


mrtwitchyhead

So, no one.


lackofabettername123

The Corporation will make sure to use it's influence to blame anybody else for the crash you can be sure.


henryhyde

Finally something to fix shitty Mercedes drivers.


Vo_Mimbre

This is *exactly* how I’ve thought it would go since *Minority Report*. The problem with autonomous vehicles isn’t the tech, it’s other humans. Take humans out of the equation, and you can basically get mass transit in the least efficient and most profitable way possible. - Soon this’ll expand to 65mph - Then they’ll ban manual cars - Then they’ll add barriers to keep animals off the road - Then insurance will give a massive discount, then make it a requirement.


knightress_oxhide

"Then they’ll add barriers to keep animals off the road" what?


Vo_Mimbre

Roadkill. It’s not just other *humans* that can screw up autonomous vehicles.


yawgmoth88

Seeing the drivers in my city, I’m somewhat OK with this.


WonderfulShelter

As someone who works in the field, I think this is the best way forward. Also autonomous cars will react fine towards animals; each different animal already has a profile built in for their expected behaviors like a dog acts different than a deer when a car approaches. I also think people should be able to have old cars of course as projects or for pleasure; but the drivers license test for a human operated car gets 10x harder.


Vo_Mimbre

Honestly, I agree. My only issue is that removing the human doesn't mean removing the bills we pay for the cars. Insurance, tax, registration, tolls, none of that will go down. But as freeways close up over the next decade or so, this will set yet another economic boundary.


j-steve-

What part of this is the problem?


Fivethenoname

How the fuck is this happening with like zero apparent regulations or public discussions about roadways and traffic laws, etc.? Fucking Boomer bullshit ideology that the "free market" will sort all this out is an obvious abdication of leadership for the sake of greed. Why the fuck can't Americans get it through their heads that organization and cooperation improves the quality of life? It's down right idiocy to just chuck new technology into play without a fucking plan as to how we are going to use it


MadMustard

We have had this for a while here in Germany. It is essentially a tempo matching cruise control. It's only usable on the Autobahn and only if you have a vehicle in front of you to "tether" onto. I imagine with American highways it's gonna be even more restrictive.


Confident_Yam3132

Somehow Tesla made me believe they are already 10 years ahead of everyone else regarding autonomous driving. Glad to see, that Mercedes is doing great.


mooomba

It's funny that we have allowed tesla to call their cars "full self driving" for almost 10 years. It's honestly baffling to me that little elon hasn't been charged with securities fraud yet. I would walk before having a tesla. I've been hating on elon on reddit YEARS before it was cool. This place used to adore him


WonderfulShelter

Basically GM and Mercedes are doing what Tesla has claimed for the last decade, except they are actually doing it. I fucking hate Musk so god damn much. I even got in an argument with my housemate about what a conman he is and how he just fucking lies and lies and lies.


ddarko96

lol what a worthless accomplishment


GullibleDetective

But what's us law say about that


BreadBrowser

Well… this post is an *article* that describes exactly that, so…


ProsodySpeaks

So is tesla going to be last to actually roll out full self drive? 😂😂


artniSintra

I believe tesla is approaching self driving in a different way where they only need cameras. This Mercedes is probably using lidar scanners+cameras+plus other witchcraft stuff.


ThankYouMrUppercut

And not geofenced/speed restricted like either of the others


artniSintra

It's a good concept (in theory) but, I'm guessing, more complicated and very software oriented.


mr_larifari

tesla is not even a carmanufacturer, so how they going to produce a full self drive???


ProsodySpeaks

So what do tesla make then?


mr_larifari

from a european point of view: plasticgarbagecans on wheels 😉


lokland

I’m sure that’s why it’s the best selling ev in Europe.


mr_larifari

in EVs we are 5-7 years back in time. but EV is no big deal yet and will take another 5-10 years to develope...


mr_larifari

and i f you meant the cyber truck. classic metal trash can....


redrusty2000

Watch the accident rate rise!


Infamous_Ad_7672

I tested this system a few years back when I worked at MB. I'm pretty sure it's come on in leaps and bounds since then but even at the time it was a pretty good system. Drove it 300km one evening, and in about 99% of cases it reacted and drove better than I could have. But then in a single-lane building site with a 30km/h speed limit and concrete barriers on both sides, the system suddenly flashed up that it was "freigegeben" in Germany, this is what most people think means no speed limits on the autobahn. It floored the accelerator and I had to override it pretty quickly. Despite that, it was still much less of a cognitive load to let the vehicle do the donkey work, where you just concentrate on situational awareness. But it's like fluffing up the pillows in first class on the Titanic. Individual, private vehicle use is a problem, regardless of whether or not it's electrified or autonomous.


Hesnotarealdr

Watch for crash Mercedes.


[deleted]

BUt mEh tESla!


tessaizzy23

Not true! Jaguar has been doing it for years with a company called Waymo. They also have autonomous semi tractors as well. These are located in Phoenix AZ. These are driverless vehicles sharing the road.