Pilotless airplanes. Would you fly in one?

[FBM]

Anyway, the "sure, whatever" votes seem to be holding a slight edge. Did the two "others" explain already?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

What poll?

[amused]

Other - I'd want someone on board who has at least had some training into how to reboot the software.

"Is it plugged in? Go to step 2."

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Other - I'd want someone on board who has at least had some training into how to reboot the software.

"Is it plugged in? Go to step 2."

"Are you in Europe? Do you need an adapter?"

[FBM]

What poll?

The hereford.

Other - I'd want someone on board who has at least had some training into how to reboot the software.

"Is it plugged in? Go to step 2."

That could be done from a PS2 controller in a pilot's or engineer's living room while s/he's sitting in underwear and emitting various odors.

[mistermack]

Driverless buses and coaches might come first, so we might be less worried about pilotless planes then.

There are clear reasons why a bus or coach, or a truck, might be safer without a driver. If a driver falls asleep, or has a heart attack, uses his phone, or just loses his temper, it can kill loads of people. It happens every day.

So once they can make it work well, driverless WILL be safer. So one day, we'll be well used to machines taking us about, and planes won't worry us either.

[FBM]

Ah. Good points.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Driverless buses and coaches might come first, so we might be less worried about pilotless planes then.

There are clear reasons why a bus or coach, or a truck, might be safer without a driver. If a driver falls asleep, or has a heart attack, uses his phone, or just loses his temper, it can kill loads of people. It happens every day.

So once they can make it work well, driverless WILL be safer. So one day, we'll be well used to machines taking us about, and planes won't worry us either.

I think driverless urban railways would be acceptable. DC's Metro could certainly operate remotely.

As for flying, I'd rather have a pilot on the ground who isn't worn out from constant flying in control of the plane than a pilot who can barely stay awake in the cockpit.

[Atheist-Lite]

Like these dodgy plastic airplanes it's a cost saving, nothing to do with passenger safety. I'd rather have a pilot on board to deter the airline from cutting corners on safety. And if anything does go wrong at least I'll die in the comfort of knowing at least one their staff members paid bigtime.

[Ronja]

Driverless buses and coaches might come first, so we might be less worried about pilotless planes then.

There are clear reasons why a bus or coach, or a truck, might be safer without a driver. If a driver falls asleep, or has a heart attack, uses his phone, or just loses his temper, it can kill loads of people. It happens every day.

So once they can make it work well, driverless WILL be safer. So one day, we'll be well used to machines taking us about, and planes won't worry us either.

I think driverless urban railways would be acceptable. DC's Metro could certainly operate remotely.

I've been trying to find a source in English about the seemingly embarrassing end of (or very long pause in) the project where the Helsinki metro was supposed to become driverless. The news was in our morning paper about a week ago - they are simply giving up at this point, because there have been too many problems and delays.

So my reason for choosing "other" is: sure, when I've seen it work on the ground, at least on rails, preferably also on roads.

Right now I am not impressed by what should have been cutting-edge technology.

[Tero]

like this?
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/45-foot-pa ... slideshow/

[Ronja]

Found the news in Swedish at least: here's a Google translate version of it. On 22nd March Siemens was given three weeks time to convince Helsinki city that their driverless metro solution is doable also with drivers. So in mid-April we should know.

An article published in November 2011 (also via Google Translate) gives some background.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I think an underground and/or elevated system would be best for pilotless rails. They could install motion detectors along the routes and monitor them from a central location. If some homeless chap decided to take shelter in the tunnels, or a flock of California condors decided to roost on the Els, the central station would be made aware of the fact. And they could monitor each train as it entered, boarded, and left the stations.

[maiforpeace]

Yes.

I drove in a car with Zilla as the pilot, didn't I?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Yes.

I drove in a car with Zilla as the pilot, didn't I?

Was I awake?