Cruise testing, I would be uncomfortable

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:

GDS-3950BH wrote:
Give adaptive cruise and the other poopage a try on something like the DC or Baltimore beltway lol. Put blind faith in it. Just find a good collision guy beforehand and maybe carry some TP and wet wipes. Those systems making corrections 10 times a second can not anticipate the typical moron.

This is, and will continue to be, a huge part of the problem. In addition to the many other hurdles involved (both 'real' and 'perceived'), incrementally introducing automated driving is extremely difficult when the other cars aren't operating under the norms. We had a rental van in Los Angeles, in 2018, with adaptive cruise control. The car was so intent on keeping proper spacing between us and the car in front of us that people kept pulling into the large gap that was being maintained. Every time someone pulled in, the car would immediately slow to the point of having the desired spacing again. Another car would pull in, causing it again, and over, and over... Each slow down was jerky and uncomfortable, and we could never keep speed because the system created too much space for the norms under which the others were driving. We could not find the off switch fast enough!!

If every car were operating with the same expectations regarding speed, spacing, etc... it could likely work more fluidly. I don't doubt that tech can and will, eventually, overcome these challenges. But, the need to have both automated and human-operated vehicles on the road simultaneously creates additional issues that will be difficult to overcome in a manner that is comfortable for the average passenger.