Cop pulls over Google self-driving car, finds no driver to ticket

boing
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Me? I would say that there are localities where driving too slow on surface streets is an infraction, usually termed as obstruction or impeding (similar to double-parking and no-standing regs). I would also say that on interstate freeways (and perhaps others) there’s a minimum speed requirement of 45MPH, and that’s definitely tied to safety.

On the other side, max speed is not cut and dried in all cases. Ever seen a state DOT vehicle parked on the side of a 35MPH street doing the radar gun thing with traffic? That’s most likely a survey to find out if the speed limit can be raised – low-to-normal accident rates + no zoning restrictions + most traffic exceeds the current limit usually = an increase in speed limit.

(As to the comments…when I read the story this morning, via Gawker front page, seemed like there were comments/links re: minimum speed regulations. Maybe I had dug into pending comments, or maybe kinja ate 'em, or maybe I just suck at remembering: -)

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You’re supposed to turn on your hazard flashers if you’re going > 15mph under the limit. And stay in the rightmost lane, of course.

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Google drone cars are only legally allowed to drive 25mph or less in CA. That’s why a citation wasn’t issued. That cop was uninformed.

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In some cases is really dangerous to drive too slowly: in the Alps tunnels the speed must be between specified limits, to minimize the possibility of a lorry rear end, that in a long tunnel could be really dangerous.

In normal cases, driving at slow speeds could be a cause of accidents too because is an unexpected driver behaviour.

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There’s an app for that…

–edit - forgot to say that I’m sure the Google tech or engineer had an application on her or his phone or tablet. Alternatively, the - ah…techningeer had a joystick as a back up…and shit…

(Image above from: http://www.tuvie.com/honda-micro-commuter-compact-futuristic-electric-city-commuter-with-joystick-steering-system/ )

Here’s an article from about 1.5 years ago I liked -

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What do you think should happen if a self-driving car hits and kills a pedestrian?

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There was a concept car with a joystick at EPCOT 30+ years ago. If it hasn’t happened yet, it’s not going to.

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I remember a joystick-controlled car prototype in Popular Science around 1979.

Saab experimented with a joystick-controlled Saab 9000 back in 1993. Wired.com explains the problem with the concept. With a brief video clip of Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear taking it for a test drive.

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Pulled over for the lack of a white person in the driver’s seat?

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I’m waiting for you to do this teaching. When does your city lecture circuit tour start? :slight_smile:

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Cruise control is a hell of a wonderful thing on long car rides but you still aren’t supposed to take your eyes off the road.

Musk’s is essentially advanced cruise control, and it’s a fine strategy.

Autonomous cars aren’t exactly a pipe dream, but autonomous cars able to unerringly & safely drive otherwise oblivious humans around at the speeds they experience (and expect) now? When all or damn near all vehicles are autonomous and with supportive infra, that’s the realization of autonomous cars (and oblivious occupants).

Incremental technological application is all about the compromises. In this instance, Musk’s compromise is compliant with consumer expectations of vehicular travel while remaining an advancement.

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I agree. Since when is it a violation to go 24 in a 35 limit zone? Unless the car was driving erraticly leading the officer to suspect DUI. It would be annoying as hell to be behind it but a ticketable offence? How so?

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We still have some of those signs in Michigan. People from Ohio roundly ignore them. :wink:

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Hello, State of California laws on vehicles causing trouble for other cars… As I recall, the relevant laws are cited up thread if you read the posts.

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