Platooning, catch a ride.

[botsapper]

Without the need for large on-road infrastructure systems, smart transponder linking with compatible vehicles semi-autonomous driving/riding could be easily implemented with cooperating transportation companies. Monetized with an integrated toll collection. it could be great revenue stream for them. Platooning: The future of freeways is lining up | Cutting Edge - CNET News

[cbaber]

I would like to see the calculations that show the cost of buying and maintaining a fleet of professional drivers and platoon vehicles will cost drivers less than the possible 20% they save in fuel. Beyond the driving automation, the benefits to this system are outweighed by the disadvantages.

[Xist]

I do not like the name! No platooning for me!

[niky]

The equipment exists. And it's getting cheaper. We're getting auto-parking, pre-braking and radar cruise control at lower and lower price points nowadays. And, in the future, you won't need the truck driver... all transactions can simply be car-to-car.

The nature of those transactions would be the key to making it work. And there would have to be some degree of automation for the first car, also, to prevent subscribers from leading the entire pack into an accident.

[Jasen]

This way people can continue to solo in a big car and put everyone around them at risk do to a software or computer glitch or a truck divers mistake, freight training 4-5 cars into a pile up.

Why not just have a computer look in every car that doesn't have a Gov issued eco vehicle chip or a chip stating the number of passengers said vehical can carry, then charge them a fee for driving solo, less for 1 passenger, less for 2 etc.and nothing if all seats have a passenger.
Maybe have a commercial chip with a set fee for all those who have to drive a full size or larger vehicle for their job, i.e. semi's, delivery truck's, plumber's, taxi's, etc.

[niky]

The chip in this case is so drivers can reimburse the "tow" vehicle for the slipstream.

Of course, carpooling is a much more effective solution, but this kind of system would benefit even carpoolers.

Come on, we're all mileage freaks... nobody else wants a safer way to draft?

[Fat Charlie]

It sounds like more widespread use of the PSL and more widespread deployment of adaptive cruise control would do the same thing without needing to drive by wi-fi. And since this plan uses "deployment" and "radar" in place of "platooning," people who plug it can still feel like they're in a war movie.

[California98Civic]

Technicians are already demonstrating that cars with wireless communication devices for the ECU, even just the tire pressure sensors, make the whole car open to hostile hacker attacks. Imagine the terrorism of the future where a coordinated remote attack on the various automated lead cars--hundreds of them--paralyzes a city while killing hundreds and wreaking havoc on the public confidence in the highways. Wall Street sags, commerce slows, children weep.

Now imagine how the government learns to monitor everyone in new ways, through their cars and their mobile devices, secretly buying private databases on who you ride with, when, where, what you carry with you in order to protect the transportation network and the lives of people.

It's the stuff of great dystopic science fiction, which of course sometimes turns out to be a true future in part.

[gone-ot]

The MORE control a HUMAN relinquishes, the LESS control that HUMAN has...

True, humans DO make mistakes, but who makes MORE mistakes MORE quickly, a human (slow) or a computer (very fast)?

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Now imagine how the government learns to monitor everyone in new ways, through their cars and their mobile devices, secretly buying private databases on who you ride with, when, where, what you carry with you in order to protect the transportation network and the lives of people.

Come on, you're just making stuff up. They'd never do that!