I just.. oh forget it. http://www.youtub...2jOlQY7E

Why can't we just have a HUD like the fighter pilots.
I known, cost too much but sooner or later it will be cheap enough.

If you're looking at your steering wheel to navigate a map, then you are not looking at the road, you are looking at the steering wheel. What's so difficult to comprehend about the fact that looking at anything but the road while operating a several thousand pound steel cage on wheels is irresponsible? This is a statistically significant point given the growing population densities of the areas we frequently traverse in our vehicles, and hence a growing chance that we will run into someone wherever we go. One cannot assume that everyone else will obey the "rules of the road"- that is the entire point o defensive driving- a child or a dog or a blind person could walk into the road at any time, and from experience I can tell you that they do. Pull over and read the map. Listen to what your environment is telling you- every sensory perception which you can get is useful when operating a vehicle- the music can wait until you get home unless you are in a traffic jam. Many collisions occur just after cars are freed from a traffic jam because the driver's minds are still distracted. Concentrate, Grasshopper!

I don't want to pay ANY attention to the road. I want the car to do it for me.

Robotic cars are already operational, just ask Google how well they work. When oh when will we realize that people just stink as drivers?

What's so difficult to comprehend about the fact that looking at anything but the road while operating a several thousand pound steel cage on wheels is irresponsible?

That's a little extreme Dave. Staring at the road suggests tunnel vision. Glancing at surroundings, checking mirrors, and performing shoulder checks are necessary actions that require you to take your eyes off the road. Just staring at the road is much more dangerous. It's dangerous not to be aware of your surroundings.

There's a difference between focusing on driving and staring at the road.

Robotic cars are already operational, just ask Google how well they work. When oh when will we realize that people just stink as drivers?

It will be a LONG LONG time. Not until we do something about the corrupt Insurance system we have in place here in the USA.

Insurance companies will never allow for driver less vehicles due to the "Fault" issue. Who pays for the damage in the inevitable accidents between automated and human drivers. Who will pay for the costs of an accident between two automated drivers?

'Crashes will never happen' is not a possibility; even Linux crashes once in awhile.

Robotic cars would be like green cars...until they show a substantial demand enough to replace the gasoline driven car, the car companies won't undercut their profits. They'll keep producing both. It's why a hybrid still costs as much if not more than a gasoline car, and thus the gas savings are practically negated over the life cycle.

How is this an improvement on the steering wheel?

@J-n

Fault would be easy, just sign a form that says you take full responsibility for the malfunctions of your car. If these systems are safe enough for people to entrust their lives to them, I'm sure they'd feel alright about accepting responsibility. Engineered redundancy and failsafes can be orders of magnitude safer than the best human driver.

Accidents will almost always happen when human error is involved (dumbass running stop sign etc...)and in that case it's not your fault anyway.

I think the biggest problem is for people to think rationally instead of emotionally and accept that they are the safer option in the first place.