this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023
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Mercedes-Benz debuts turquoise exterior lights to indicate the car is self-driving | A visual indicator for other drivers::undefined

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[–] [email protected] 137 points 10 months ago (9 children)

If we need warning lights for self driving cars, the technology is not ready.

[–] [email protected] 89 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Eh, it's probably good to have regardless?

It's less about being careful around the car and more about how you might interact with it. For example, honking the horn or flashing your beams wouldn't have the same effect. On that note, it might be nice to have some way of telling a self driving car to temporarily use elevated sensors or something, the same way a horn tells a driver that something is wrong. As long as there's a way to prevent abuse of the system

I don't know much about these lights, but we COULD use some new standards in general with how many things have changed with cars in recent years. Brake lights on electric vehicles being another thing to consider.

That "gentle horn" everyone wants being another

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago (2 children)

"Gentle horn" sounds like a 80s romantic pop song.

[–] [email protected] 51 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

A markedly less successful ripoff of Tubular Bells

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (2 children)

You're still the driver in the self-driving car. If someone honks, you have pedals and a wheel in front of you. It always comes down to driver neglect. It's like blaming the cruise control for speeding, but giving cruise control more responsibilities.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

The standard should endure past this stage. It's not necessary now, but it would be good to start getting used to some kind of a symbol now

Eventually when cars move past this stage, then we'll need it

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Today, sure.
But in 20-50 years, switching to manual driving may be a whole process. It may even be illegal in a full self driving car. In an environment of mixed automated and manual driving, having indicator lights for the autos makes a lot of sense.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 10 months ago (1 children)

As a Level 3 system, the driver is permitted to take their hands off the wheel, their feet off the pedals, and divert their attention away from the road. [...]

The turquoise markers will alert other drivers to the fact that your vehicle is driving itself, so hopefully they won't be alarmed if they see you doing other things while behind the wheel.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago

Okay that is the first argument for it I've read that actually makes sense

[–] [email protected] 36 points 10 months ago

warning lights

Lol, this is like calling the turn signals warning lights. Letting others know something about your driving isn't a warning, it's just an indicator.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 10 months ago (2 children)

To play the devil's advocate: early cars needed a guy with a flag im front of them because people were used to horses and carriages and not automobiles. After a while that stopped being a thing.

But yeah, self driving cars are not really ready.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago

Id argue that motorized carriages back then werent ready for the public.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I havent seen a lvl 3 yet, have you? Id like to know your actual thoughts on driving one. I only see Teslas and such, and they don't have them yet.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If we need signs saying student driver, the driver is not ready

[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If we need signs saying "Baby on Board", the driver isn't ready

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

*The baby isn't ready. :-D

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (2 children)

There are warning signs to indicate people learning to drive in ex-Soviet countries (such yellow triangles to put behind the glass), even though they are driving with an instructor.

Now when I think about it, it's been some time since I've seen that sign.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Somewhat similarly in the Netherlands, in case you fail your practical driving exam three times you still get a license but you can only drive cars marked with special yellow number plates.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Omg that’s gotta be embarrassing lol

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

All cars in NL have yellow plates. The guy before you made a joke.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

lol thanks for the info

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

They're pretty common in the US as well, but it's just a sign that says "student driver".

I've also seen orange triangles used in vehicles like horse-drawn carriages that can't go as fast as regular traffic, mostly in connection to Amish people.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 10 months ago

Well, theirs probably isn't.