Theres no reason they have to be physical signs, just link it to the speed limit database companies like TomTom seem to have for their GPS units and use that. There's always the problem of keeping that up to date, but its no harder than the problems that would have to be solved for physical signs.
I would also hope that the car uses contextual geolocation info. That a speed limit sign is not posted on the corner of a 4-way intersection, and a stop sign is not typically put on the side of a limited access highway. In fact I would expect that most of the driving regulations should be encoded in the map. Anomalies would be treated with extreme caution (and reported back to the home office).
Let's make most stop signs into yield signs, even for cars. Being on edge (alert) causes drivers to be focused, which reduces accidents. See roundabouts.
They should use a light system, stop sign, or yield sign, just like everywhere else that a car driving straight on a road is expected to yield the right of way.
if a street changes into a one-way one day (signaled by a sign) relying on a map will lead to a big unhappy problem.
sure, if you consider everything selfdriving that works on a NASCAR track, then yes, a map is sufficient, but if we are talking about driving on public roads then recognizing and "obeying" signs visually seems like a hard dependency.
Here in the US, I swear the rule of thumb for installing stop signs is only the limitation of how many can be bought under the current budget. So many intersections would be less frustrating by having yield signs, instead.
You know how the account, transit, and check numbers along the bottom of a paper check use that weird OCR font? And are printed with magnetic ink?
That's what we should do with road signs and lane markings. Make them resemble the current ones somewhat, but also be optimized for a computer to recognize them even in extreme conditions. Not only with wider differentiation between signs of different types, but also using radio, UV, infrared, or magnetic cues. Lanes could be painted with metallic pigments for example. Even when snow covers the edges of the roadway, the car could read those lines and center itself.
All of this would be a change to what we already do. No need for extra equipment or drastic changes in infrastructure. Just update how existing signs and road markings are made.
You may have identified some warranted stops. Congratulations! In my area, the vast majority of stop signs can be replaced by yield signs, to broad societal benefit.
reply