Mercedes-Benz debuts turquoise exterior lights to indicate the car is self-driving | A visual indicator for other drivers::undefined

    • Otter@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      92
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      Eh, it’s probably good to have regardless?

      It’s less about being careful around the car and more about how you might interact with it. For example, honking the horn or flashing your beams wouldn’t have the same effect. On that note, it might be nice to have some way of telling a self driving car to temporarily use elevated sensors or something, the same way a horn tells a driver that something is wrong. As long as there’s a way to prevent abuse of the system

      I don’t know much about these lights, but we COULD use some new standards in general with how many things have changed with cars in recent years. Brake lights on electric vehicles being another thing to consider.

      That “gentle horn” everyone wants being another

      • Synthead@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        11 months ago

        You’re still the driver in the self-driving car. If someone honks, you have pedals and a wheel in front of you. It always comes down to driver neglect. It’s like blaming the cruise control for speeding, but giving cruise control more responsibilities.

        • Otter@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          7
          ·
          11 months ago

          The standard should endure past this stage. It’s not necessary now, but it would be good to start getting used to some kind of a symbol now

          Eventually when cars move past this stage, then we’ll need it

        • Steve@communick.news
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          11 months ago

          Today, sure.
          But in 20-50 years, switching to manual driving may be a whole process. It may even be illegal in a full self driving car. In an environment of mixed automated and manual driving, having indicator lights for the autos makes a lot of sense.

    • barsoap@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      57
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      As a Level 3 system, the driver is permitted to take their hands off the wheel, their feet off the pedals, and divert their attention away from the road. […]

      The turquoise markers will alert other drivers to the fact that your vehicle is driving itself, so hopefully they won’t be alarmed if they see you doing other things while behind the wheel.

    • Kbobabob@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      37
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      11 months ago

      warning lights

      Lol, this is like calling the turn signals warning lights. Letting others know something about your driving isn’t a warning, it’s just an indicator.

    • Postcard64@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      35
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      11 months ago

      To play the devil’s advocate: early cars needed a guy with a flag im front of them because people were used to horses and carriages and not automobiles. After a while that stopped being a thing.

      But yeah, self driving cars are not really ready.

    • rottingleaf@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      11 months ago

      There are warning signs to indicate people learning to drive in ex-Soviet countries (such yellow triangles to put behind the glass), even though they are driving with an instructor.

      Now when I think about it, it’s been some time since I’ve seen that sign.

      • barsoap@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        11 months ago

        Somewhat similarly in the Netherlands, in case you fail your practical driving exam three times you still get a license but you can only drive cars marked with special yellow number plates.

      • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        11 months ago

        They’re pretty common in the US as well, but it’s just a sign that says “student driver”.

        I’ve also seen orange triangles used in vehicles like horse-drawn carriages that can’t go as fast as regular traffic, mostly in connection to Amish people.

    • kuneho@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      18
      ·
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      🤦

      if we need warning lights for ANYTHING, the humanity is just not ready.