Hacker News Reader

Comment by TYPE_FASTER | Hacker News Reader

I think self driving cars will increase safety, and decrease accidents. I've read that accidents contribute for 25% of traffic congestion that exists today, so self driving cars could have a noticeable impact on decreasing drive times.

View on HN

The only noticable impact will be as you watch fellow human drivers speed past you on the road.

Self-driving cars must follow the speed limit at all times.

How can a company program a car to break the law?

Yes, that's such a massive issue. Ideally we would do away with simple speed limits and have more complex safety rules for self driving cars. Of course that won't happen for a very long time. Till then the issue you are describing will be infuriating to human drivers. Here in Oregon though everyone already is going below the speed limit, so I won't really care. As a passenger it also doesn't matter as much, since you at least can do other stuff now. I'm looking forward to the increased productivity while the car is driving itself.

Tesla seems to have no problem letting people speed with Autopilot, within reason.

Passengers won't care, they'll be busy playing with their phones or working. All that useless time spent driving is suddenly productive, as if you were in a nice private train car. If a car passes the train on the highway outside, do you even notice as a passenger?

I think following the laws and driving calmly is a great benefit. Never once I have thought, "I'm so happy that Uber driver drove like a maniac weaving between lanes, and got me to my destination all of 4 minutes earlier. Yay".

Reply on news.ycombinator.com