The US and Canadian governments are frantically trying to develop a framework for laws surrounding driverless cars before they are released to the public.
Why the hurry, you may ask?
Over to you, Barrie Kirk, spokesman for the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence, who has said: “I am predicting that, once computers are doing the driving, there will be a lot more sex in cars.”
Recent videos posted online appear to show Tesla electric car drivers engaging in “questionable practices” behind the wheel, including one reading a newspaper and another brushing his teeth.
Other videos show the driverless cars’ autopilot systems reacting poorly to changes in road markings.
Briefing notes, compiled for Canadian transport minister Marc Garneau soon after he took on the portfolio last fall, describe driverless cars as “problematic”, creating issues with driver attention:
“Drivers tend to overestimate the performance of automation and will naturally turn their focus away from the road when they turn on their auto-pilot.”
Canadian officials have assured the press not to worry – the new technology is still a “few years away”. Automotive business director Danny Shapiro said:
“That’s one of several things people will do which will inhibit their ability to respond quickly when the computer says to the human, ‘Take over.”
Federal officials also suggested that autonomous vehicles should be equipped with the same “black box” data recorders found on large aircraft, to accurately gauge the reason for a crash, post-accident.
Sure enough, social media users have having some fun with this latest development:
https://twitter.com/ben_mathes/status/727206594308505600
A whole new take on "road head" https://t.co/QtwOAVfhRn @KeithKohl1 @alexkoyfman
— Silicontrarian (@Silicontrary) May 2, 2016
