Self-Driving Car Tech Needs to Decipher Road Behaviors

CARS.COM — The goal of self-driving cars and autonomous-drive technology is to be “humanlike” in its reactions, responses and the car’s ability to process a complex driving situation. But when does programmed humanlike behavior pose a risk? If self-driving cars always obey every speed limit, for example, might they run the risk of being bullied off the road by a conventional automobile?

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As reported by The Detroit News, this and many other topics concerning autonomous vehicle technology were part of a recent roundtable discussion held on Capitol Hill. Government officials and industry insiders debated the hurdles facing self-driving cars and trucks, particularly when it comes to educating consumers about the technology.

The conversation also touched upon the need to develop cars that not only read road signs and traffic markings but also are intelligent enough to mimic the subtlest human behaviors.

“As we look at automated vehicles, there’s a need to think about how does the automated vehicle — when there’s not those kind of traditional human ‘tells’ taking place — communicate some of their intentions,” said Blair Anderson, undersecretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation. “How do they communicate to a pedestrian that they’re on some sort of automated function at the moment?”

Why should I care? If self-driving cars are meant to reduce accidents, should they look toward their human creators when it comes to proper driving manners? Like a scene out of the sci-fi drama “Westworld,” where human morality appears sorely lacking compared to robotic creations, the question as to which path — random humanlike behavior or a more controlled computer-esque design — works best when it comes to integrating autonomous driving technology into society.

Sometimes it’s safer to speed, after all. Think about it: How many times has a driver resolutely sticking to 55 mph been more of a safety hazard than another driver going 5-10 mph over the speed limit? It’s a hard enough task to teach a vehicle to obey traffic rules and regulations in a mix of driving situations.
Add to that the nuances of knowing when to speed, rapidly stop or somehow subtly indicate a quick maneuver to other road users, and this job becomes vastly more difficult. It’s no wonder so many automakers and tech companies are investing heavily into artificial intelligence to tackle this herculean automotive endeavor. Highlighting those difficulties, Google could be moving away from driverless and instead focusing on creating autonomous-tech sensors for traditional cars, USA Today reported.

Nissan Enlists Anthropologists to Engineer Self-Driving Cars

Have you noticed that traffic in New York City’s Times Square differs drastically from what you’d encounter during rush hour in Minnetonka, Minn.? If you haven’t, then stick with taking mass transit, please. For the rest of us, it’s clear that driving habits vary drastically around the country and around the world.

This is why, as reported by Auto Express, Nissan is enlisting anthropologists and sociologists to help calculate and fine-tune driverless cars for different cultures. Differences can vary from town to town and even from one time of the day to another. Eventually, the driving behavior of a self-driving vehicle could be programmed specifically to follow the social norms of the environment in which it operates.

Why should I care? In some cities around the world, a honk of your car horn is regarded as a polite way of letting other drivers or pedestrians know you’re approaching them. Do the same thing elsewhere, however, and you run the risk of becoming headline news for a road-rage incident. Nissan’s deep dive into the driving habits of different cultures could help unlock some of the human characteristics needed to make self-driving cars a reality.

A one-car-fits-all mentality might work in the world of cabin cupholders or USB port placement. It’s quite another thing when it comes to whether your vehicle understands the social norms and driving habits of where it’s operating.