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Autonomous Mercedes Benz Transit Bus

 
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Q65A



Age: 66
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 1764
Location: Central NJ

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 7:13 pm    Post subject: Autonomous Mercedes Benz Transit Bus Reply with quote

First Tesla, now this:
http://www.businessinsider.com/andreas-mink-mercedes-future-bus-is-semi-autonomous-fuel-efficient-2016-8?r=UK&IR=T
What do you folks think about this?
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JimmiB



Age: 81
Joined: 19 Apr 2011
Posts: 516
Location: Lebanon, PA

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm surprised to see that they have one in service. I'm a bit leery of self-driving vehicles, at least at this early stage.
I can't imagine what the cost will be for a bus with all that technology on board, plus they will always need an employee on board. I can imagine what an unattended bus would look like on a route through any big city ghetto. Then you have the added cost of adding sensors to traffic lights along the routes.
It's definitely an interesting experiment. Guess we'll see what happens when they go into production.
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As I've said in other threads...like it, or not, automated vehicles of all kinds are coming...

I like it, for the most part. I think one of the first places they should attempt such a bus, would be on MBTA's "Silver Line", which utilizes dual mode articulated diesel/electric trolley buses on a route which is half street-half private right-of-way including underground 'subway'....it would be the ideal place to test it...
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am not in favor of an unmanned bus in traffic (think Manhattan). Recently I went with the Metropolitan NY Bus Association on a trip to Connecticut. We did ride the Busway from Hartford to New Britain. I could see a trial on a closed track like that.

Bear in mind that this vehicle hasn't been tested in snow. Does it know how to "Rock the Boat" to get out of a snowy spot?

Reminds me of the automated NYC subway cars on the shuttle. The unions put up a protest and I think one of two of the cars had fires.
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll concede the point that operating on public roads in snow, would be a real challenge....the GPS is not that precise, on the multi camera's would have a tough time 'seeing' the lane markings.
So the first automated buses will probably be tested on some private road or guideway.

Railways are another matter....train automation has come a long way since the troubled Subway Shuttle test in the sixties...

And modern airliner's are capable of full autopilot, and autolanding capability, even in "zero-zero" visibility...
I even read where the London Heathrow airport has guided runways, taxiways, and ramps, that can take specially equipped British Airways aircraft from autoland right to their parking gate automatically in thick fog....
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frankie



Age: 77
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Posts: 745
Location: St. Peters, Mo.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry folks, but there's nothing safer that a pair of human hands on a steering wheel along with one trusty foot on the accelerator with nimble ability to shift itself to the brake pedal in a split second mental decision.

Frankie
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps that's true currently...the human brain can take in the big picture and perceive potential hazards better than a computer...but...the computer can react faster, is eternally alert and never distracted, and as technology matures, will even have better perceptional skills than a human....
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traildriver




Joined: 26 Mar 2011
Posts: 2452
Location: South Florida

PostPosted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe the day will come when actually driving a car, will only be practiced in places as a recreational activity for enthusiasts...
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Hart Bus



Age: 73
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 1150

PostPosted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

traildriver wrote:
Perhaps that's true currently...the human brain can take in the big picture and perceive potential hazards better than a computer...but...the computer can react faster, is eternally alert and never distracted, and as technology matures, will even have better perceptional skills than a human....



However I choose not to be the "crash test dummy" for this experiment
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TheDriver




Joined: 18 Dec 2015
Posts: 233
Location: America

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think they have expended enough money on the idea to make it work right
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