jgurney wrote:Cugel wrote: There's no information in the article as to whether such technology will recognise a bike becoming too close in front of a dopey driver.
There is, right at the end where it refers to "
Cyclist or Pedestrian AEB: a more sensitive AEB that can detect cyclists, pedestrians and some animals". That suggests that the standard version will not detect people or bikes, and so a driver becoming less vigilant due to trusting the device to protect them from collisions with other cars may increase the danger that driver poses to cyclists and pedestrians.
An underlying problem, IMO, is that it seems another step in accepting low standards of driving skills and designing roads and cars to compensate, rather than demanding a high standard of driving skill and refusing licences to those who do not meet the standard.
It does seem that the technology involved needs to be refined so that it can recognise cyclists, pedestrians and, no doubt, horses and perhaps their carts. The article seems to be saying that such technology exists but implies that it costs more or is "optional" so those who want a fancy cup holder instead will eschew the anti-tailgater, especially the more sophisticated and therefore expensive ilk.
Re your "
underlying problem ...[of] ... accepting low standards of driving skills and designing roads and cars to compensate...". The sad fact is that the human is a flawed biological entity in that it can invent technologies that humans are not really equipped to manage well, the car being a prime example. Our peculiar human nature (so variegated!) along with our infestation of memes (languages and their many mad notions) mean that we often do go mad, defined as "dangerous to ourselves and others, acting sporadically against our own self-interest whilst taking down our neighbours too". Low standards of driving will always be with us - unless you are advocating a cull of the idiots (not you & me, obviously).
This crazed human nature being an unavoidable aspect of modern societies - and an incurable condition in all humans - perhaps the only way to improve driving is to take the responsibility away from the madmen and give it to a cold & emotionless robot? Of course, the robot's programing may well reflect the many prejudices and predilections of the software writers. On the other hand, neural nets have shown some remarkable and unpredictable developments of their own, not that far from the notion "developing a personality".
I only hope they don't make cyclists have it. No more sitting on Phil The Monster's back wheel, out of the wind!
Cugel
“Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist”.
John Maynard Keynes