While driving on I-75 in Florida yesterday we encountered a really stupid driver. Here we are driving along the inside (right-most) lane at about the legal speed limit when we noticed a black pickup truck with flashing yellow lights on it's roof going up the outside (left-most) lane. I-75 there has three lanes in both directions there with an Armco barrier as the center divider. Suddenly everyone hits the brakes as the pickup truck swerves hard to the left, cuts across two lanes, almost hits the car in front of me, and starts driving up the inside shoulder of the road.

Periodically there are breaks in the Armco barrier where police and emergency vehicles can make a U-turn. These "turnaround spots" are clearly marked with "No-U-Turn" signs for the common folk like us. So what does does the pickup truck do? Yep it makes an U-turn at one of these spots. Stupid driver.

The problem is that the pickup truck didn't have a driver. It was a completely driverless vehicle. One of those with all the "funny stuff" on the roof.

Stupid "driver".

Does any company in Florida have driverless vehicles authorized to be on the road?  🤔

4 hours ago, W2DR said:

The problem is that the pickup truck didn't have a driver. It was a completely driverless vehicle. One of those with all the "funny stuff" on the roof.

 

Was it an experimental setup, or are they in full-scale operation in your neck of the woods? 

6 hours ago, charliearon said:

Does any company in Florida have driverless vehicles authorized to be on the road?  🤔

Here in Florida there are lots of companies approved to conduct tests of driverless vehicles in one form or another. And it's been legal to do so since July 1, 2019. Depending on which source you believe, the number authorized appears to be somewhere between 10 and 20.The only ones I've personally seen are Ford, Uber, and Walmart. More about it here:  https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a28073922/florida-autonomous-cars-driverless/  .

 

Edited January 5, 20233 yr by W2DR
kant spel

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

 

Was it an experimental setup, or are they in full-scale operation in your neck of the woods? 

I'm sure it was experimental Martin. There were no markings of any kind on the truck and the external sensors were not in a housing. As far as I know there are not yet any full-scale operations. 

1 hour ago, W2DR said:

I'm sure it was experimental Martin. There were no markings of any kind on the truck and the external sensors were not in a housing. As far as I know there are not yet any full-scale operations. 

 

I'm wondering if it was semi-autonomous and an operator had taken over remotely. 

Good point. Just based on the way the car acted I never thought of that. Maybe the stupid driver was the stupid operator.

Autonomous cars are in service now in Florida, apparently. 

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 20233 yr by martin-w

Indeed they are. But they are all still in the test stage.I worry about them every time I get on a high-speed roadway. I just turned 80 and I'm glad I don't have long left. I don't know how long I'll be able to handle this stuff.

Edited January 6, 20233 yr by W2DR
kant spel

1 hour ago, W2DR said:

Indeed they are. But they are all still in the test stage.I worry about them every time I get on a high-speed roadway. I just turned 80 and I'm glad I don't have long left. I don't know how long I'll be able to handle this stuff.

You're probably gonna live to 120, Doug!  Just remember...a daily shot of whisky makes ya frisky! 😀

Thanks Charlie. And a glass of wine makes you fine......

1 hour ago, W2DR said:

I just turned 80 and I'm glad I don't have long left. I don't know how long I'll be able to handle this stuff.

I've got 9 years on you Doug and have been thinking that for quite a while now.  I don't venture out to that 'other world' outside my front door very much anymore.  My three year old Prius only has 2700 miles on it.

Noel

I just turned 100,000 miles on my 2014 Honda yesterday Noel. So, I think you should have 111 years left on the Prius before you catch me  😀 .

I just drive to the supermarket and medical appointments.  And Betty does most of the grocery shopping.

A few weeks ago I got into the Prius and it wouldn't start.  The battery was dead.  I called AAA and they came and gave me a jump.  I took the car to the Toyota dealership to have it checked out.  It was OK.  The battery checked out fine and just needed a charge.

Thye service guy asked me how long it had been I drove it.  I told him about three weeks.  He told me the car does some self checks periodically and uses the battery for those.  He told me to take it out and drive it around the block a few times once a week or so.

Noel

I have the same problem with my golf cart. And it has six batteries  😀 .

Edited January 7, 20233 yr by W2DR
kant spel