[mister]

Lexus has announced that it expects to have self-driving cars on the market by the year 2020. That is just 5 years away!

Unlike the luxury automaker’s first self-driving car—the 2013 Lexus LS that premiered at CES looked like something out of Mad Max—today’s version lacks the heavy body armor of cameras, lasers, and radar. In Japan, Toyota is testing a Lexus GS450h with all of those sensors tucked away. Millimeter-wave radar and lidar scanners are not only in the grille but appear inside additional cutouts in the lower front fascia, on either side of the back bumper, and an enlarged roof spoiler. A visual camera sits in front of the rearview mirror.

The technology is geared towards highway driving at the moment. I think of it like cruise control, but way better.

Toyota plans to keep automated driving as an on-off feature, instead of a always engaged type thing.

“This approach acknowledges the utility of automated driving technologies while maintaining the fun experience of driving itself,” the company said.

 

[TheLex]

So it's just a more advanced version of the cruise control. Thought it would be something like Google's self driving car but it's good to see more companies go towards that direction. More competition mean more innovation.

 

[mister]

So it's just a more advanced version of the cruise control. Thought it would be something like Google's self driving car but it's good to see more companies go towards that direction. More competition mean more innovation.

Well, that is how I would describe it. It is different in that it is steering for you though. So it is driving itself, which is a lot more than cruise control.

 

[Kennedy]

With 2020 not all that far away, there are probably things they have yet to show us that have more wow factor to them than this. We could be seeing more before the end of the year.

 

[TheLex]

Would be great if it can brake and go for you during rush hour on top of keeping you in the lane.

 

[mister]

Would be great if it can brake and go for you during rush hour on top of keeping you in the lane.

I would think that technology would be able to deal with the ebb and flow of traffic. They already have that technology in cruise control now, so it should be even better by 2020.

 

[Kennedy]

I think MB has had it with the S-Class for a while, but Lexus is Lexus, not always ahead of the curve but to them and their customers this is NEWS.

 

[DampDuffer]

I wish I could share in everyone's excitement about all this self-driving car business....

Admittedly, if it is stop-and-go traffic, I'd much rather be reading a book and leave the driving to someone else, but that's why I've generally car-pooled or taken advantage of mass transit to overcome peak traffic times.....but when it comes to everyday driving and the open road, I just love to drive....and run up the revs before shifting.

Yes, I'm old and old-school, but the increasing dependence I'm seeing on technology has taken much of the fun out of driving....and it has certainly taken away our social interaction. I mean, will our self-driving cars be able to flip-off other self-driving and conventional cars? >

 

[TheLex]

I assume these function are mostly used in stop-and-go traffic as that's the most painful part of driving but for the open road I too would prefer to be the one behind the wheel. Always fun to drive around curves.

 

[Kennedy]

I assume these function are mostly used in stop-and-go traffic as that's the most painful part of driving but for the open road I too would prefer to be the one behind the wheel. Always fun to drive around curves.

That along with just driving down the highway for an extended period of time as you would when on a road trip, so for just about anything that doesn't require a lot of the driver, few senses.

 

[DampDuffer]

That along with just driving down the highway for an extended period of time as you would when on a road trip.......

Sorry, I cannot even imagine that as being anything I'd want anything to do with.

Can you imagine the menace you would be on today's highways if all you're doing is staying a safe distance from the car ahead of you? Unless you are in the inside lane tailing trucks, cars are going to be zipping around you filling up that "safe distance" and sending you to the back of the line while wanting to drive at a faster speed than your robot car wants to be at.

To me, driving is a bit of game....it's meant to be fun. I'm not sure I'd nudge one of these self-driving robots off the road, but I know I'd be tempted if they are messing with my game.

Yeah, I admit that's old-school, but still call and talk to people personally, read a newspaper, and write the occasional letter too....

 

[Kennedy]

That's why i'm always looking around and observing drivers, that's the key thing since most of the time its them we have to worry about.

 

[DampDuffer]

That's why i'm always looking around and observing drivers, that's the key thing since most of the time its them we have to worry about.

Agreed, but is the self-driving car going to be looking around and reacting to those drivers/cars that are coming up from behind at a greater speed and move aside to allow them to pass?

I would say that many of us drive about 10 mph over the limit....so is our robot going to drive at an appropriate speed and in the appropriate lane so as not to disrupt the normal flow of traffic, or is going to simply stick by the speed limit rules and keep a safe distance from that traffic?

 

[avocado]

Hopefully some of the parameters will be adjustable so you can control how the car drives.

 

[CyberDude]

I think it's interesting to see where technology is leading us but I don't want to see it in sports cars. That would take all the fun out of drive it.

 

[mister]

Hopefully some of the parameters will be adjustable so you can control how the car drives.

Interesting. What kind of controls and settings do you think there would be?

 

[TheLex]

I can just imagine the preset parameters for self driving cars: speed limit, sport and last but not least for those who want a bit of a rush, OMERGOD!
Realistically we're pretty far away from having automated cars as a standard so sports cars will still need a human behind the wheel.

 

[Kennedy]

Well self-driving cars were meant for the masses that just want to get from point a to b, so naturally you're going to see it shifted towards them. Plus why would anyone who wants to drive fast and that loves driving allow that to be controlled by a computer... no fun.

 

[mister]

Well self-driving cars were meant for the masses that just want to get from point a to b, so naturally you're going to see it shifted towards them. Plus why would anyone who wants to drive fast and that loves driving allow that to be controlled by a computer... no fun.

It would be nice as an option even in nicer cars with bigger engines. Sometimes you may want to drive and other times you may want to be driven. I'm sure it will come in most cars, but it is more geared to cars for the masses.

 

[Kennedy]

Chances are it will make its way to what's identified as fun cars since it can help to play into fuel efficiency during commuting.