Over the last century, the Land of the Free has slowly transformed into a land governed by endless laws, largely by cracking down on vices instead of actual crimes, creating a society that would render us all criminals if our behavior were constantly observed. Meanwhile, the state has steadily expanded its use of mass surveillance, largely under the pretext of fighting “terror.”
This is a toxic mixture.
If you’ve ever driven out in a field or in the boonsticks, that’s just not always the case.
In some places, you simply have to swerve to avoid the worst of it because otherwise your tires and/or direction just won’t survive. Like, you’re not bouncing up and down through potholes, you’re dodging ditches, roots, pits, divots, rocks.
Sure you could drive 10kph, but sometimes it’s not that good of an idea, like say, in an emergency with your passenger bleeding out.
Is it somewhat of an exception? Sure, but something that you can’t disable and takes some measure of control away from you isn’t something I’m excited about.
In theory, that could be nice in some cases, but that seems dangerous.
If you’re having to avoid that, it sounds like you were either already going slow, or were going straight over those obstacles. In either case a good system would be able to tell you’re going a low speed and it’s safe, or it’s just a bumpy road.
What about a comprimise of vehicles containing such a device being subsidized? You have the choice, and a safer car is made to be the better more competitive choice. But for those who really worry about an edge case they still have an option.
No to both.
You seem stuck on the vertically of this scenario, and a trained software would likely make the same assumptions, yet they’d be wrong in some cases.
I did specifically mention swerving and not merely bumpy, from an actual real life scenario that I remember quite vividly.
I wasn’t driving over any of these obstacles, because the car would have simply been destroyed, we’d have crashed and both died.
I wasn’t driving that slow either, because my passenger was bleeding the fuck out.
The doc said it was a matter of minutes.
Software works fine for things where the driver’s intent can be determined more clearly, like traction assist. I got no issue with that.
In this limit/kill-switch, driver intent cannot always be determined reliably because some factors depend on things there cannot be a sensor for.
I fail to see what problem this solution is supposed to address other than giving more power and data to companies and governments. Odds of this being a transparent, properly audited, open source solution are nil.
If it merely flagged you for review or something, maybe?
I’d have no issue with such a system if it merely tried to wake the driver up when it thinks you’ve fallen asleep.
If it takes control away from you, possibly in some fringe case emergency that’s not accounted for in whatever software, it can fuck off.
Drunk drivers would either not opt-in, or bypass them illegally… like they already drive drunk, without licenses or plates illegally.
In Canada, we already have alcotest machines mandated in cars for people that have DUI infractions, maybe this technology could complement that.
For the general populace, it’s not something I’d be excited about.
Fair enough.
Drunk driving
I don’t disagree with you there, but just because it might end up being closed source and such doesn’t mean it will be connected to the internet and giving your info to companies/the government. The bill specifies that it should be a passive system.
I wouldn’t have a problem with either of those two options.
I don’t think it is that clear cut. Drunk driving isn’t exactly a premeditated crime. It’s one that generally happens on a whim. Sure, some people know they have a habit of doing it and would find a way to opt out, but it would still help address other drunk drivers.
I would be open to that as well.
If we are really being honest, the easiest solution is to stop having car dependent cities and transportation networks. Nobody is gonna drive drunk when the train/subway/bus/sidewalk can get you home safely, quickly, cheaply, and easily.
Take a look at Japan’s drunk driving fatalities. They have almost none. Part of that is their ‘draconian’ laws/low legal alcohol limits, and also probably culture. But they have fantastic public transportation, and it’s a great option for drunks to get home.