more on self-driving cars

[Michael Rolls]

Have a look at this - I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65036895

How much would all that junk add to the cost of a car, especially if it is one of the expensive (compared to ICE) electric cars?     

[klondike]

Actually modern cars already contain a bunch of cameras and LIDAR sensor now to meet the safety standards. They use cameras to spot speed limit signs, detect nearby obstacles, lane markings and road edges which power driver assist systems to reduce the chance of running into something when surfing the net on your phone instead of using your very own biological computer to watch where you are going.

Technology is racing away. Affordability won't be an issue either as the way things are going none the plebs will be able to afford to run any car anyway. Or keep their family (if such things still exist) fed and homes warm.

[Michael Rolls]

but the test car has a lot more cameras and sensors than normal - and in the long run they are looking to make use of an as yet non-existent  infrastructure for the car to latch onto. But then - by the time, if ever, that infrastructure is available, how many of we peasants will be able to afford a car anyway?

[klondike]

Khan was quick enough putting his ULEZ Zone cameras up despite a majority of residents opposing the scheme. 

We are in agreement about the future chances of a personal vehicle being the exception rather than the norm. I've posted before that the way I see this going is companies owning the expensive autonomous vehicles and  using them in app based Uber like schemes with a silicon driver rather than an illegal immigrant.