The companies currently most actively involved in automated automobiles (hah) are pretty good at what they do. Volvo has been producing big trucks for several years now that have remarkable safety features, like automatically detecting stopped traffic ahead and bringing the fully loaded truck to a complete stop in what seems like an impossibly short distance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoCknasKdRU).
There are plenty of things I dislike about Google but I can't say they're bad at software. If anybody can build a safe automated vehicle, they can.
Tesla, too, who have a lot riding on their hard-earned reputation for building next-generation vehicles.
I'm an old-school car guy, I haven't been a big fan of the complexity added to cars ever since the really bad emissions control systems in 80s cars, but even I have to admit that all that complexity has probably saved a lot more lives than it has cost -- antilock brakes, airbags, better pollution control, better fuel economy, way better structural safety features.
There are plenty of things I dislike about Google but I can't say they're bad at software. If anybody can build a safe automated vehicle, they can.
Tesla, too, who have a lot riding on their hard-earned reputation for building next-generation vehicles.
I'm an old-school car guy, I haven't been a big fan of the complexity added to cars ever since the really bad emissions control systems in 80s cars, but even I have to admit that all that complexity has probably saved a lot more lives than it has cost -- antilock brakes, airbags, better pollution control, better fuel economy, way better structural safety features.