>We're approaching the "deadly valley" - automatic driving that's almost good enough that the driver can stop paying attention.
Infiniti has a commercial out now that I see frequently while streaming TV that shows someone who should not be on the road but is enabled by the driver assist features.
Maybe one mandatory feature of driver assist should be that if the car intervenes more than 2 times in 10 minutes its next step should be to find a safe place to pull over and stop.
This. Why shouldn't driver assist be able to tell when the actual driver is drunk/tired/dangerously incompetent and pull over. It could even call their emergency contact or a taxi and disable the car.
Because no one would buy it. Who wants an inanimate object deciding that they are to tired to drive with no discussion or recourse?
And can you imagine the liability implications? "My spouse had an asthma attack/allergic reaction/severe cut in the of middle of the night and my car stopped me from driving them to the hospital. They died before the ambulance reached the house."
...and the reverse liability implications: "My spouse had an asthma attack and their car didn't pull over safely, so it is the [car manufacturer]'s fault that they crashed into a tree and died."
Not being a drink or erratic driver, I was thinking more of driving when I'm tired. It is possible to be a little too tired to drive safely without realising it, but I imagine the extra small adjustments you make when this happens - because you drift and correct - would be recognisable by the car.
It would be a huge pain if you are on a long drive and your car decides you need a nap! But it would save lives, possibly mine. Personal transport is a convenience. Personal safety is paramount.
Infiniti has a commercial out now that I see frequently while streaming TV that shows someone who should not be on the road but is enabled by the driver assist features.
Maybe one mandatory feature of driver assist should be that if the car intervenes more than 2 times in 10 minutes its next step should be to find a safe place to pull over and stop.