hypnofed

Edit: So apparently OP lasted 10 minutes here. If anyone reads this who isn't OP but actually knows something about the matter I'd be interested in learning more.

So here's my question. I totally buy into the concept of an autonomous self-driving vehicle on an interstate. I can believe it working in rush hour bumper-to-bumper as well. What I can't really imagine it doing as well as me is noticing the ultra-aggressive asshole alongside me pushing his way through traffic who's totally going to cut me off the first chance he gets, and then doing so. I can watch other drivers on the road and predict events that are dangerous or may require evasive maneuvers even before they start to form and adjust how I'm driving accordingly- so that when said asshole cuts me off with negative room to spare, I can hit the brakes and avoid an accident because I knew this was going to happen three minutes ago. Will autonomous vehicles be able to predict and react to this as efficiently (and safely) as me, or will they just have to react really fast once an incident happens? What I've heard a lot is the idea of self-driving caravans crossing the country on interstates that you simply manually drive you car to and tell it to join in, but I've wondered how it's going to account for the guy who decides to cut across the middle of it last-moment because he's realized he'll miss his exit if he doesn't.

In a similar vein, I've driven I-81 through NY and PA a lot of times, which is a really beautiful road because it 's built on the side of mountains the whole way. However, this means lots of turns which, if not followed, will send the car careening off a cliffside. Can you assuage my fears that my self-driving car will have a systems crash that for two seconds means it stops seeing the road, keeps going straight, and sends me to an exciting death?

Question for Piper. Who's a good boy?

Marcellus Shale Commission

Ah yes, the Marcellus Shale Commission.

I almost think we're at the point culturally that "I'm an atheist but celebrate Christmas" shouldn't be taken as a self-contradictory statement. Particularly given that Congress has recognized Christmas as a civic holiday.

Best case scenario, what will life be like when the surgery is over?