• percent@infosec.pub
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    19 days ago

    If most cars are autonomous, and capable of coordinating with each other (via mesh network, for example), then traffic congestion might become much easier to prevent reduce and solve mitigate. (Edit: Based on responses, I may have chosen my words poorly)

    You’re probably not wrong though. I imagine it’ll get worse before it gets better.

    • patatahooligan@lemmy.world
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      19 days ago

      I don’t believe we will ever get coordinated autonomous vehicles. You will never be able to absolutely trust the information you are getting, whether it’s because wireless sucks, auto manufacturers couldn’t agree to or properly implement a universal standard, software bugs, or malicious behavior. If we want it to be safe, then the cars will have to drive cautiously and be prepared for behavior that was not properly communicated. This will not be a form of driving that is fundamentally different to what we have now.

      And even if you could implement perfect coordination between autonomous vehicles, how would you be able to take advantage of it in the real world? Ban all human drivers? What about pedestrians and bikes? You still need crossings and traffic lights for an area to be livable by humans. You still need to drive slowly next to a pavement where someone could eg trip and fall onto the road.

      • percent@infosec.pub
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        19 days ago

        Ban all human drivers?

        No.

        What about pedestrians and bikes?

        Continue avoiding them – that should never change.

        You still need crossings and traffic lights for an area to be livable by humans. You still need to drive slowly next to a pavement where someone could eg trip and fall onto the road.

        Agreed.

        All those examples seem like they’re in response to a goal of eliminating 100% of all congestion. I actually edited my comment to clarify that that’s not what I’m talking about, but that edit was many hours before your response. Is it still unclear?

        Since we’re talking examples, maybe I can offer one to clarify:

        Ever been in a traffic jam after someone ran a red light or stop sign and caused a wreck? If fewer (because zero is unrealistic) of those incidents happen, then there are fewer traffic jams caused by them, right? And when they do happen, it would be easier to reroute traffic early on – which might also make it easier/faster for emergency vehicles to get to the scene.


        Or for an example that is completely unrelated to traffic: Condoms and vaccines are pretty effective. Maybe not 100%, but still enough to be useful. There are some areas in real life where absolutism is just unproductive.

    • group_hug@sh.itjust.works
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      19 days ago

      Ha ha. Traffic will move to let billionaires through quickly.

      Regular folks will be stuck in endless traffic trapped in driverless cars that charge them $5 a minute for the privilege all while playing the same loud and obnoxious audio video ads on repeat for hours on end.

      • percent@infosec.pub
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        19 days ago

        This should be used in some sort of dystopia-themed movie or Black Mirror episode or something, if it hasn’t been done yet