Industry News: GM, Ford, and Toyota Form Autonomous Vehicle Safety Consortium

[Drew Dowdell]

The Society of Automotive Engineers has announced today that they are joining with Ford, General Motors, and Toyota to form the Automatic Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), a group that will work together to test the deployment and development of Level 4 and Level 5 automated vehicles. 

The AVSC will provide a safety framework for the advancement of the technology in a safe and responsible manner. The group will use the expertise of its current members to establish a set of guiding principles for safety. 

GM, Ford, and Toyota already have autonomous vehicle development well underway.  GM is producing driverless Chevrolet Bolt EVs as part of a development and testing program via its GM Cruise unit. 

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[balthazar]

Linked article doesn't quite paint a rosy picture, does it?

Level 5 consumer-ready regular production is a decade out, guaranteed.
And if it's presented as a separate model (like an EV vehicle is), the take rate is going to be microscopic.

[Drew Dowdell]

8 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Linked article doesn't quite paint a rosy picture, does it?

Level 5 consumer-ready regular production is a decade out, guaranteed.
And if it's presented as a separate model (like an EV vehicle is), the take rate is going to be microscopic.

I would think it would mostly be fleet purchases for a while.

[G. David Felt]

Gotta start somewhere, I can see Lyft and Uber doing this to remove the people part that has also brought issues with rape, assault, even death. Down south in Tacoma, police are looking for a man who is posing as an Uber driver and raping woman. I can see these companies fully wanting a level 5 auto for their fleet to replace human drivers and insure the safety of the passengers.

[balthazar]

^ Perhaps... assuming Level 5 AD cars can be proven to be safe. AND they are affordable; any fleet buyer is going to weigh an AD vehicle against the cost of a human driver.

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, balthazar said:

^ Perhaps... assuming Level 5 AD cars can be proven to be safe. AND they are affordable; any fleet buyer is going to weigh an AD vehicle against the cost of a human driver.

So then add a robot driver like in Total Recall  

[oldshurst442]

6 hours ago, dfelt said:

Gotta start somewhere, I can see Lyft and Uber doing this to remove the people part that has also brought issues with rape, assault, even death. Down south in Tacoma, police are looking for a man who is posing as an Uber driver and raping woman. I can see these companies fully wanting a level 5 auto for their fleet to replace human drivers and insure the safety of the passengers.

If Lyft and Uber make it that far...

They are bleeding billions.

And the hick to that?

That NOBODY wants to mention...

Uber and Lyft DONT pay for MAINTENANCE on cars...

If Uber and Lyft think that they will be saving money on NOT paying humans to drive...did they or the dumb phoquing investors of Uber and Lyft EVER think how much money it costs to keep cars on the road?

Even electric motored cars need servicing..

ESPECIALLY superduper artificial intelligent, superduper computer power, sensors galore AD cars...

You know...to uphold extreme safety...

You know...the weather,  especially inclement weather seems to wreak havoc on these kinds of systems, forget about good ole wear and tear...

So...who will be servicing these autonomous pods? 

The users?

Users will be forking over thousands of dollars per year for Uber's and Lyft's profits PLUS for the cost of repairs and maintenance for autonomous pods they wont own?  Usership that lasts only a few miles at a time? 

So...Uber and Lyft are bleeding billions right now when their business model is just paying drivers a pittance and for up-keeping the app on the smart phone...

Yes yes...I understand, the fee for an Uber and Lyft user is artificially low...and that will change when Uber and Lyft deem time to raise praises when they feel like the have a control in the market place...

HA!

Like I said, Uber and Lyft DO NOT pay for maintenance on their "fleet"...its the dumd stupid owners that use their cars that do the expensive servicing....

Wait until Uber and Lyft actually have to fork over REAL maintenance money for their fleets... 

Edited April 6, 2019 by oldshurst442