Debate Magazine

"Microsoft is to Start Building Its Own Self-crashing Cars"

Posted on the 28 May 2014 by Markwadsworth @Mark_Wadsworth

From the BBC:
Microsoft is to start building its own self-crashing cars, rather than modifying vehicles built by its rival Google. The car will have a stop-go button but no controls, steering wheel or pedals.
Co-founder Paul Allen revealed the plans at a conference in California.
"We're really excited about this vehicle - it's something that will infuriate its users by suddenly stopping for no apparent reason," said Allen, director of the company's self-crashing project.
He added that after punching the 'stop-go' button for several minutes to no avail, users' will have the ability to "tear out the power cable in a fit of rage, slam the doors and then return after five minutes once they have simmered down - it should normally work fine again after that".
But some researchers working in this field are investigating potential downsides to self-crashing car technology. They believe they could make road rage worse, as people gathered round their inexplicably stationary vehicles while in a filthy mood might start to turn on each other.


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