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Ask HN: Would you send a self-driving car to pick up your kid?

6 points by forrestbrazeal ↗ HN
I'm curious to know people's thoughts on this. Given a fully legal self-driving car, would you be comfortable sending it to drop off and pick up your kids from school/soccer practice/etc?

What security or safety features would you want to see on the car in order to feel okay with this?

10 comments

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source99
Maybe not today but within a few years. Once they have demonstrably proven to be safer than humans I would do it.
ng-user
This is the answer whether most choose to admit it or not.

Years ago folks would never consider the option of summoning a stranger (not a taxi, a stranger in their own vehicle) to come pick them up at their home and drop them off where they were going. However, today everyone living in any substantial metropolis does it in a heartbeat. Why? It's time-efficient, we've got well-established services that hold "some sort" of accountability and it's the most convenient option in most cities.

Today almost no one would be willing to say "Yeah I'll take a self-driving car to the airport" because the process has yet to be proven successful. After all, it's _only_ 2017... give it 10 years and we'll see what the majority are doing. It's about what people do not what they say they will do. Actions speak louder than words.

Finnucane
There would probably be different standards for cars that you own vs. the equivalent of a cab or an Uber/Lyft type deal. I'd think the main fear wouldn't be that the car itself was unsafe to travel in (if they reach the point of becoming mainstream transportation), but that a car under someone else's control could be used nefariously. So I'd guess you'd want a fairly robust tracking/accountability system.
forrestbrazeal
To me, picking up the kid is the tough part. How do you ensure that the kid finds and gets in the right car? That's a lot of burden to put on whatever adult is supervising the activity.
lilbro1062000
text your kid a code that the car can validate. for example a qr code or UUID and a camera attached to the car. also a camera to take a picture of your kid before and after he/she gets in the car.
Jill_the_Pill
No, nor would I let my kids play, walk, or bike along roads where they are allowed.

What safety feature? A licensed, sober, employed school bus driver.

shortoncash
I believe that if I had a self-driving car, the more likely scenario I would encounter is one where I'd have to send my kid to go pick up my self-driving car (and bring it back manually.)

Perhaps when the technology has really proven itself over millions and millions of trips, I'd consider your scenario.

muzani
I would do it once other people have done it for years with no bad experiences. There's not a lot of safety features needed. School bus drivers tend to be poorly educated and a little creepy, but there has been no history of kidnapping a child.
tugberkk
I personally could not do it. Even the system is fully functional and error-free; it can still be hacked. Maybe someone would like to kidnap my child, hack the car and unlock the doors, or simply just make it go somewhere else.

I would sleep better if there is someone who I can count on with my child's safety.

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