I saw something on abc once that said that driverless cars will be released in 2010.

I also saw somewhere on tv 2 years ago that said flying cars will come out in 2031.

Comments? More info? Corrections?

Don't worry, you can correct me about these dates if you want or about anything!

Flying cars, I believe, are possible because look at airplanes! But the question should be when or if we will ever need flying cars?

I thought we already had driverless cars!  I see people in their cars every day talking on the phone, eating lunch, applying makeup, watching TV, playing video games...and I sez to myself, "Boy, I sure wish I could afford one of them driverless cars!"
:D

I thought we already had driverless cars!  I see people in their cars every day talking on the phone, eating lunch, applying makeup, watching TV, playing video games...and I sez to myself, "Boy, I sure wish I could afford one of them driverless cars!"
:D


LOL This is true ;D


In reality, driverless cars could never exist, because there are many obstructions on roads like construction, pedestrians, animals, etc.  What if your driverless car malfunctioned, and hit and killed a pedestrian crossing the street?  If driverless cars existed, I wouldn't want one

LOL This is true ;D


In reality, driverless cars could never exist, because there are many obstructions on roads like construction, pedestrians, animals, etc.  What if your driverless car malfunctioned, and hit and killed a pedestrian crossing the street?  If driverless cars existed, I wouldn't want one


Yep. Even if all the 100% accurate computer software was on the car and not transmitted via satelite or tower, one failure would be a 90 car pile-up waiting to happen. The technology required to make even one care driverless, say to work and back including the freeway, ramps, stop lights, turn signals, yielding, parallel parking, parking meters/garages, and so on would be mind boggling.

I could see completely electric cars by 2010 or 2012 - matter of fact, I think Toyota is trying to do just that by 2012.

Flying cars are nothing new - the Aerobile came out over 50 years ago. Doubt you'll ever see them like in the Jetsons though.

Makes me wonder - are pontoon planes classified as both aircraft and marine vehicles?

signature banned as well

LOL This is true ;D


In reality, driverless cars could never exist, because there are many obstructions on roads like construction, pedestrians, animals, etc.  What if your driverless car malfunctioned, and hit and killed a pedestrian crossing the street?  If driverless cars existed, I wouldn't want one

???
Driverless cars ALREADY exist and have been around for some time. USC had driverless Buicks in the HOV lanes on the freeway in Southern Cali back in the 90's...

BMW, GM, Mercedes, Toyota and others have been developing technologies for driverless systems since the 50's.
These systems are highly advanced with all types cameras, infrared sensors, radar, GPS sensors and the like. Some of these can actually avoid sudden obstructions, accidents, people/animals, & brake faster than any human could.

Driverless BMW 330i

The issue here is not that if they can build it, its that most humans will simply not yield control of their car to a computer. This is just human nature and completely understandable, I wouldn't want to relinquish control of a 3000 pound mass of steel, plastic, aluminum and glass traveling at 70mph either. Heck, what happens if the car pc control "crashes" (no pun intended)?!?

Fact is though, unlike humans, computers will learn from their errors. They will get better. They won't drive drunk, they won't tailgate, speed, change lanes/turn w/o signaling, street race, get distracted on the cellphone/eating/reading/putting on makeup etc, so in fact just may get us from point A to B faster, safer than we as humans ever could.
But, we humans are just control freaks and we just won't have that  ::) ...maybe someday.

As for flying cars, hAh. Never happen. Imagine if you will all the shortcoming of human error, stupidity and just plain happenstance applied already to the automobile and add in another axis for up and down movement. Pure chaos, literally death and flying cars "raining" from the sky.
If you think its bad some have no lane control or signal or tailgate with a car on the ground, can you see the exponential rate of havoc in the skies (and result of gravity, the ground) if we let the same irresponsible average human motorist have the keys to a flying car?!?
Just PRAY that this never happens.  :P

Good points ^. I think the harder issue would be getting insurance on a car like the Driverless 330i... not that you couldn't insure one, but if the car wrecks itself under auto-pilot, I'd bet the person behind the wheel would still get a hefty insurance premium hike. If you ran over somone, would their family sue you, your car or BMW? And what about DUI? Could you be legally hammered behind the wheel if the car is driving itself?

Impressive video, but I'd like to see the same test with an unexpected obstruction on the track. or two of them racing side-by-side.  A closed-course demonstration a single auto-car is a walk in the park compared to real world driving conditions.

As a concept car, it is extemely awesome though.

signature banned as well

I will be first in line for that car!