RoboCab: Driverless Taxi Experiment to Start in Japan

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/10/01/robocab-driverless-taxi-experiment-to-start-in-japan/

by mhb • 11 years ago

86 50 11 years ago

blogs.wsj.com

veidr3• 11 years ago

I saw this thing drive by my office in Tokyo the other day, and did a double take, but then I noticed the man sitting inside actually driving it.

So I thought the "Robot Taxi" on the side of it was just a slightly weird name for a Japanese taxi company.

That is cool that self-driving cars are taking off here, too.

However, I must admit that the whole Toyota software development practices scandal will make me think twice before getting in a Japanese self driving cab. I would rather be stuck at a green light while my googlecar is confused by a fixed gear bicyclist, than in a robotic taxi suffering from unknown "process death" events in its untestable assortment of dozens of interweaved subsystems…

lifeisstillgood2• 11 years ago

I think that basing your decisions on, with all due respect, gut feelings about the software development processes at Google and Toyota is still the wrong approach.

We need to have open testing environments - government / regulatory / whatever defined tests that tell us the systems under test are performing as expected. And have enough openness around the concepts such that VW style approaches to beating tests are .. Easier to find.

But interesting point about the development processes - something is there

camdroid• 11 years ago

I don't think the statement about Toyota is a "gut feeling": http://www.edn.com/design/automotive/4423428/Toyota-s-killer...

free2rhyme214• 11 years ago

I think this is fantastic for Japan. The only way a country moves forward is through innovation and self driving cars will help save more lives.

superuser2• 11 years ago

The only way a country moves forward is through innovation

Military conquest works pretty well, as does being located on top of valuable natural resources. What is the purpose of spouting such a platitude?

nine_k2• 11 years ago

A very successful military conquest of 1920–1940s did not exactly help Japan in the long run. Neither did it work for Spain in 1500s.

psykovsky• 11 years ago

...as does being located on top of valuable natural resources.

Tell that to Africa.

codedokode3• 11 years ago

Military conquest doesn't work in a long run because enslaved people are very unmotivated. Economical conquest works much better. Natural resources are limited and not very profitable except for oil and gas.

nugget• 11 years ago

They will also put a lot of people out of work. Net positive in the long term but painful in the short term, and society hasn't shown a willingness to adjust (yet).

threeseed3• 11 years ago

Which isn't necessarily an issue for Japan.

They have an ageing population, declining birthrate and an aversion for immigration.

They actually need robots do the menial tasks in society since no human is going to be around to do it.

tdylan2• 11 years ago

Self driving vehicles will not show up overnight. The road to 100% penetration will be a long one, with many intermediate steps. I'd say as low as ~20 but as high as 75 year time frame.

ekianjo7• 11 years ago

people out of work

Yeah, like automobiles put farriers out of work, but it did not happen overnight, and people adjust and find new jobs. Like car mechanics. If more cars are constantly on the road, there will be a need for a lot of maintenance, etc... I'm not worried one bit even in the short term.

eCa• 11 years ago

Yes, we should strive for a world where no-one has to work.

the8472• 11 years ago

with the auto-driving car carrying them from their homes to local grocery stores.

Maybe we should call it automobile.

creamyhorror2• 11 years ago

"Autoautomobile" is too clumsy, so how about "autocar"?

Later on, when they get really smart and start doing unmanned item delivery and shopping trips and passenger pickup all on their own, we can call them "robocars". Law enforcement robocars with weapon systems can be called "robocops" (or maybe "enforcement droids"?).

SilasX• 11 years ago

Maybe should distinguish between levels of automation:

0-automobile: must be pulled around by external power source

1-automobile: provides its own locomotion

2-automobile: also provides its own navigation

3-automobile: also decides when it should be used (what trips to take, in what order)

jakeogh2• 11 years ago

really smart unmanned weaponized enforcement droids ... sounds a lot like the standard sci-fi drone.

rangibaby• 11 years ago

We'll probably end up calling them cars. Car itself coming from "horseless carriage".

zanny• 11 years ago

CGPGrey already named them autos, and I take his word on things like that. Ride your auto to work day!

david-given• 11 years ago

Isaac Asimov, when he predicted self driving cars in 1953, called them automatomobiles.

The story's good. Killer quote:

"We take it for granted now, but I remember when the first laws came out forcing the old machines off the highways and limiting travel to automatics. Lord, what a fuss. They called it everything from communism to fascism, but it emptied the highways and stopped the killing, and still more people get around more easily the new way."

http://www.e-reading.club/chapter.php/82060/20/Isaac_Asimovs...

ChuckMcM• 11 years ago

I see this being a really interesting possible response to Uber. Actual Taxi's but without drivers that respond to a smart phone App calling them.

ekianjo7• 11 years ago

Uber is also working on this.

buffoon• 11 years ago

This immediately came to mind when I read this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGi6j2VrL0o

RoboCab: Driverless Taxi Experiment to Start in Japan

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