|
Post by lowell on Jan 29, 2021 5:06:54 GMT -6
One of AutoX's fully driverless Chrysler Pacificas ready to drive a member of the public around Shenzhen AutoX
"After partnering with Alibaba to trial ride-haling robo taxis with a safety driver aboard last year, and subsequently opening up the service to the public, AutoX went on to launch the first fully driverless pilot in Shenzhen last month. Now the company has opened that up to the public too.
Folks in Shenzhen wanting a ride in a RoboTaxi that doesn't include a human backup driver behind the wheel can now register for the company's fully driverless pilot RoboTaxi program and use membership credits for their rides through China's busy megacity."
"To support the new service, AutoX has created a new support center that's reported much better equipped than its other centers in Shanghai and other cities, featuring internet connectivity from multiple suppliers to ensure a stable connection, supported by fiber optics and a backup power system.
Passengers using a fully driverless RoboTaxi – which shapes up as a Chrysler Pacifica minivan that's able to achieve Level 4/5 autonomy thanks to a combination of hi-res cameras, LiDAR and long-range radars and the AutoX self-driving software – can speak to a customer support agent at any time during the journey, who can also monitor the status of the vehicle and action roadside assistance rolling if needed."
Source: AutoX
|
|
|
Post by James T. Kirk on Jan 29, 2021 11:43:56 GMT -6
I'm not quite ready to be driven around by a driverless car or to have them driving on the roads around me. I would be especially nervous if I was a bicyclist. Even with our faults some things are better left to us humans. I wouldn't have a problem with a car that disables text messaging and cellphone calls that aren't hands-free. They could program to automatically send an "I'm driving" message back to the caller. Cellphone usage has become a major cause of car crashes.
|
|
|
Post by lowell on Jan 29, 2021 20:41:23 GMT -6
It may be that as with some other inventions, like the mag-lev train, China will be far ahead of us in years to come. "In July, China announced that it would build up to nine maglev railways covering over 1,000km. Once the new maglevs enter service they will take two hours off the present journey time between Beijing and Shanghai, cutting it to 3½ hours, according to state broadcaster CCTV.Aug 11, 2020 " (SCMP) Maglev train: China debuts prototype that can hit speeds of ... cnn.com › china-high-speed-maglev-train-intl-hnk "Jan 17, 2021 — (CNN) — China has revealed a prototype for a new high-speed Maglev train that is capable of reaching speeds of 620 kilometers (385 miles) per hour. The train runs on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetized tracks."
|
|
|
Post by James T. Kirk on Jan 30, 2021 4:24:24 GMT -6
It may be that as with some other inventions, like the mag-lev train, China will be far ahead of us in years to come. "In July, China announced that it would build up to nine maglev railways covering over 1,000km. Once the new maglevs enter service they will take two hours off the present journey time between Beijing and Shanghai, cutting it to 3½ hours, according to state broadcaster CCTV.Aug 11, 2020 " (SCMP) Maglev train: China debuts prototype that can hit speeds of ... cnn.com › china-high-speed-maglev-train-intl-hnk "Jan 17, 2021 — (CNN) — China has revealed a prototype for a new high-speed Maglev train that is capable of reaching speeds of 620 kilometers (385 miles) per hour. The train runs on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetized tracks." Electronic ail travel is an entirely different matter. I think we need to expand our rail systems as long as they can elevate them or put them underground so they don't intersect with traditional motor vehicle roadways.
|
|
|
Post by lowell on Jan 30, 2021 5:33:39 GMT -6
We could study what the Chinese do with traditional roadways when they install the 9 new mag-Lev trains. I like the idea of tubes. There are so many things underground already (petroleum product pipelines and electrical and such)that it seems like a good idea for the tubes to be above ground mostly. Animals can be given areas underneath to migrate through. Roads can do overpasses. In some areas, animal overpasses might work well too.
|
|