According to an article with the Washington Post, the technology in the car allows the vehicle to drive itself, including make turns, stops and recognize the existence of fellow cars and pedestrians. Drivers still have the ability to take control of the car, if they so please. It’s still in testing mode with Nevada being one of the first test states (you lucky drivers, you) and the timeline suggests that Kindergarten age kids could learn to drive in a self-driving car. A recognizable sigh of relief could be heard from parents of young children everywhere.
But then, just yesterday, when I was walking to meet someone for lunch, I overheard this lady on her cell phone. She said to the person on the other line, “Have you heard about the new self driving car?”
Followed by saying, “You know that would freak me out. You know what that reminds me of? The movie I-Robot!“
And I thought…you know what? She’s right. We are getting closer and closer to this idea of technology getting revenge on human beings as shown over and over again in books and literature. I even remember discussing this in some of my communication courses in college. How can we forget all that pop culture has taught us?
So, with that said, here are the top five reasons why the self-driving car could be a bad idea —
1) I, Robot (an homage to the phone conversation that inspired this post, of course)
This movie is a warning to humans about what might happen if the robots around us get sick of our control of them. Stay cool, iPhone, stay cool.
2) War Games (an homage to the my “Cyber Cultures” communication during my senior year in college)
Obviously, it would make sense that the computer would see war as just a game considering how many kids are playing those war-based games on their laptops as I type. Could it become dangerous if robots took over? I’d say War Games is proof that it could.
3) Terminator 2 (oh you know that I had to put this one in…and yes I do think Terminator 2 was the better one).
4) 2001: A Space Odyssey (obviously)
The well-known movie clip of red pill or blue pill that will reveal everything to us…err.. Neo…about how much control the computer really does have on our life.
And this self-driving car is just the beginning.
Would you take a chance and buy a self-driving car? What is your favorite “robot take-over” movie?
In Japan robots are the hero.
Makes you wonder why we're so different?
It's not the robots that are bad, it's the evil programmers who develop them. Mwahahahahah. I love technology. Here's an old movie which I loved, The Maid.
His alarm clock spoke to him, "Wake up you gorgeous hunk of male physiotomy (sp?).
I'll have to check out that movie!! Lol…true…it's the humans that make them scary. Heehee…
Sounds like a good movie!
New follower from blog hop-would love a follow back! 🙂
HAL from 2001 made such an impression on me. But then it was the sixties and I was on acid for much of that decade. Still, a self-driving car could be pretty cool, if you could just sit in the back with your laptop or a good book. And think about all the DUIs that could be avoided. I don't know… I think it may have potential.
Definitely true! I was wondering the type of effect it would have to prevent drunk driving and careless drivers, especially if there was an auto safety mode where the car could star driving in case issues came up. Still…it makes you wonder…