Passengers Not Afraid of Driverless Cars

A majority of drivers would let their kids ride unattended in a self-driving car, according to results from a survey the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority released Tuesday.

The agency surveyed riders both before and after riding in an autonomous vehicle earlier this month to gauge whether or not the experience affected their opinion on safety.

The survey of 257 riders of all age groups found that 85 percent surveyed after they rode in the vehicle would allow children “of certain age levels” to ride unattended. The agency did not say what those ages were and did not provide results from surveys taken before passengers experienced autonomous vehicle technology in action.

As autonomous vehicle technology is honed, agencies across the country are trying to increase support for it.

The trend continues and self-driving cars are becoming more accepted. The Selmon Expressway is a "controlled" highway, meaning it is monitored from beginning (near McDill AFB) to end (in Brandon). It's only about 14 or 15 miles, but it is heavily traveled.

Driverless Uber and Lyft coming soon?

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/05/30/survey-tampa-passengers-not-afraid-of-driverless.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&elqTrackId=f7e41f883154411b875e2fa6b4a4a9bd&elq=00619373fc5347af9d7659d6321d0b71&elqaid=2206&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=1632

The trend continues and self-driving cars are becoming more accepted. The Selmon Expressway is a "controlled" highway, meaning it is monitored from beginning (near McDill AFB) to end (in Brandon). It's only about 14 or 15 miles, but it is heavily traveled.

 

Driverless Uber and Lyft coming soon?

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/05/30/survey-tampa-passengers-not-afraid-of-driverless.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&elqTrackId=f7e41f883154411b875e2fa6b4a4a9bd&elq=00619373fc5347af9d7659d6321d0b71&elqaid=2206&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=1632

I looked in the linked article but it didn't mention the Selmon Expressway. I would like to know more about what it means to be a "controlled highway" How is it monitored and by whom?

As far as driverless Uber and Lyft vehicles, I would think that this would be cost prohibitive for these companies. It doesn't seem to me that they pay their drivers enough to offset the cost of vehicle acquisition, maintenance, registration, insurance, and fuel. Plus it seems like they would have to have a lot of vehicles available to meet demand during peak times, that would just sit around unused most of the day. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Personally I do not think that I would like to have an automated car. I like being in control, and I'm used to driving so much for work that I can hardly stand to ride as a passenger. About the only appeal that I see is the ability to perhaps travel while you sleep, but I'm somebody who likes to drive over flying simply due to the fact that for me when going on vacation the drive is often as exciting as the destination. (Except for I-70 between Topeka, KS and Denver, CO. I've driven that once (each way) which is more than enough for a lifetime.)

Sorry, but here is the lead in from Identity Tampa Bay Quick Hits, where I saw the link to the article...

• Hillsborough residents approve of driverless cars: The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority announced Tuesday that Tampa Bay residents are comfortable with self-driving cars on the road. Of the 257 riders who participated in free driverless car rides on the Selmon Expressway earlier this month, 85 percent said they would allow children to ride unattended.

Quick Hits: ESPN has no faith in the Bucs | TheIdentityTB

Sorry, but here is the lead in from Identity Tampa Bay Quick Hits, where I saw the link to the article...

 

• Hillsborough residents approve of driverless cars: The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority announced Tuesday that Tampa Bay residents are comfortable with self-driving cars on the road. Of the 257 riders who participated in free driverless car rides on the Selmon Expressway earlier this month, 85 percent said they would allow children to ride unattended.

 

Quick Hits: ESPN has no faith in the Bucs | TheIdentityTB

I have eaten at Lee Roy Selmon's restaurant, but don't think I've ever traveled on his expressway.

I have eaten at Lee Roy Selmon's restaurant, but don't think I've ever traveled on his expressway.

The Crosstown Expressway became the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in 1999. Lee Roy was much more than an NFL football player. As a banking executive and OSI board member, his philanthropic work for the Tampa Bay community is legendary. He also served as the Athletic Director of the University of South Florida and is considered the father of the football program. His mentoring program for student athletes has been a model for other universities across the country.

You will never eat at any of his restaurants again, if you don't go there soon. The original location, on Boy Scout Road near the stadium, will close at end of June. Outback Steakhouse will replace it. The locations in Sarasota and Ft. Meyers will be converted to Glory Days Sports Bars in the near future, which is what became of the Dale Mabry and Brandon LRS restaurants.

I know. Way more information than you wanted.

I looked in the linked article but it didn't mention the Selmon Expressway. I would like to know more about what it means to be a "controlled highway" How is it monitored and by whom?

 

As far as driverless Uber and Lyft vehicles, I would think that this would be cost prohibitive for these companies. It doesn't seem to me that they pay their drivers enough to offset the cost of vehicle acquisition, maintenance, registration, insurance, and fuel. Plus it seems like they would have to have a lot of vehicles available to meet demand during peak times, that would just sit around unused most of the day. Perhaps I'm wrong.

 

Personally I do not think that I would like to have an automated car. I like being in control, and I'm used to driving so much for work that I can hardly stand to ride as a passenger. About the only appeal that I see is the ability to perhaps travel while you sleep, but I'm somebody who likes to drive over flying simply due to the fact that for me when going on vacation the drive is often as exciting as the destination. (Except for I-70 between Topeka, KS and Denver, CO. I've driven that once (each way) which is more than enough for a lifetime.)

I drive that I-70 route (round trip) every summer to visit my folks in Colorado. You pretty much nailed it. :lol2:

Meanwhile, back in automated car heaven ...

The Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida has teamed up with Hillsborough County Area Rural Transit to develop an automated transportation system on the USF Tampa campus, downtown Tampa, and the Selmon Expressway to Brandon.

USF is the first point of emphasis with hope of a completely automated bus and shuttle (Uber-esk) system in the next 5-10 years. The Tampa campus is currently almost 2000 acres, and with the new acquisition south of Fowler Avenue, will be closer to 3000 acres in the near future. Can anybody say "On Campus Stadium"? (For comparison, UK's campus is only 780 acres, UC's main campus is only 134 acres, and Ohio States main campus is a little under 1800 acres.) Off campus housing around the campus is also part of the plan making the area the same as the downtown area of a small city.

The system is to integrate the shuttles and buses with the traffic control system, red lights and such. Non-campus controlled vehicle traffic will be relegated to external areas around the campus and to existing parking garages. It also provide access to the new on campus housing village, that was opened last summer near a new on campus Publix and shopping center to be opened sometime this or next year. The last time I talked to somebody involved with the project, they had not completely ruled out those faculty and students with autonomous vehicles from tying into the system.

There is also talk of an automated rail solution from the main campus to the Medical School, CAMLS (Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation), and Heart Institute in downtown Tampa. The Moffet Cancer Research Center, the Byrd Alzheimer Institute and 4 other hospitals are on or adjacent to the main campus making something like this a necessity.

I think the hope here is to have the University become an integrated community and use it as the model of future downtown development for the City of Tampa and the county.

I find this stuff fascinating.

I have one problem with automated cars.

When an accident happens, and it will, who do you go after? Right now you go after the driver and his her insurance company if it is a bad accident and lots of expenses or casualties occur. With a driverless car, you could sue the owner but they will just put the blame on the manufacturer or the person who programmed the car. Or the software maker. Or the mechanic. Or the roadway. It's bad enough insurance companies try to put the blame on someone else at it is now in all sorts of cases. These cars are gonna be a mess for the person that gets hit by one.

I have one problem with automated cars.

When an accident happens, and it will, who do you go after? Right now you go after the driver and his her insurance company if it is a bad accident and lots of expenses or casualties occur. With a driverless car, you could sue the owner but they will just put the blame on the manufacturer or the person who programmed the car. Or the software maker. Or the mechanic. Or the roadway. It's bad enough insurance companies try to put the blame on someone else at it is now in all sorts of cases. These cars are gonna be a mess for the person that gets hit by one.

Just like everything else new in American society, it will work itself out. Precedence will be made, guidelines will be established, and lawyers will make a boatload of money. It's how our system works.