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comment by thenewgreen
thenewgreen  ·  3590 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Convoy trucks - not self driving

Good idea, makes sense. I'm excited for driverless cars but I imagine that the transition will be hairy. Even with this convoy situation, some bone-head cutting off one of the trucks will lead to problems etc. The problem with driverless cars will end up being driver'ed cars.





cliffelam  ·  3590 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I think driverless cars will be most active at night, delivering themselves to the humans who ordered them for the morning. Per the comment below, I expect a bunch of "Whoa" lights on each car.

-XC

briandmyers  ·  3590 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It would be a cool idea for them to have a standardised set of LEDs on the trucks, flashing synchronously on joined trucks (since the trucks are in communication), possibly with colour changes to signal "engaging" and "disengaging" states. That and some driver education would allow nearby drivers the awareness that they are linked and not simply tailgating.

cliffelam  ·  3590 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Those are great human factors ideas.

I suspect this will be a big deal at night in square states. And in countries like Oz where the distances are long and the trucks are even longer (five on a tractor).

-XC