Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • P2

2 rida ovembe 9, 2 01 2 ampa ay imes PSC ta mpab ay om pinion Gues column r. Rao usun uru Self-driving cars will av money and li ve The human brain is far superior to any super computer in spite of the victories of Deep Blue and M. Wa tson. It i the human brain that conceived the idea and constructed these machines. Over many decades, almost ever fiction dreamed up by ollywood has been achieve by he scientists, from space- flights to conversing computers.

or a while now the industr has been developing the tech- nolog tha enables a uto- mobiles to drive automatically At irs thought, th idea is scar (thanks to movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still and otal Recall but it is probably one of the best things that ever happened. Ju st like fax machines that appeared overnight in ver of ice, self-driving cars will be roaming the roads all over the world in the near future. What happens if they malfunction? othing more than wha happens now with any automobile or driverless trains. he passenger aircraft has long been able to fly and land themselves, with proper instructions. A vast majority of accidents are caused by distracted or i mpaired humans not because of pure mechanical malfunction.

Un fortunately the superior features of the human brain are sometimes nullified by its unwanted characteristics such as arrogance and negligence. Self-driving cars ha ve already tra veled more than 250,000 miles on public highways in California and Ne vada with a perfect safety record. They mastere crooked Lombard Street in San Fr a ncisco and they drove Dan Neil, an auto columnist for the Wa ll Street Journal azda Raceway at aguna Seca, with a corkscrew road. According to American Automobile A ssociation, the cost of automobile accidents in the totals $300 billion annually and the cost of traf fic congestion is about $100 billion. ore than 30,000 people are killed each year in U.

S. crashes despite hug advances in auto safety it already av ailable driver-assistance technolog y. Pioneers in the field estimate that driverless cars could sa ve a substantial number of lives each year These cars are immune to distractions a used by talking on cell phones, texting and checking emails, eating and drinking grooming and sh av in ead- ing and writing watching TV or a video, adjusting the radio or CD player checking the na viga- tion system, watching the scen- er put ting on make-up, ighting with passengers and disciplining children. They are also not impaired by alcohol, drugs, sleep deprivation and anger They can react instantaneously and acc u- rately They always maintain the lane, use turn signals and never tailgate. They always respec red lights or top signs.

They keep detailed logs. They alwa ys remind you way before the time for refueling and maintenance ser vice. he self-driving cars use computerized maps, In ernet and a GPS system to determine the right route to your destination and ge the passengers there safely They an a nticipate and read street signs, signals, traf fic lights and road blocks much farther and faster than the human ye, without any anxiety distraction or stress. They can analyze the traf ic using sophisticated cameras, sensors, radar telem- et ry and lasers along with ar tifi- cial intelligence at an extraordi nar speed, with the help of transponders or reflectors along the road. They can communicate and coordinate with each other on the road without using in ers or mouths.

If you know a short ut to your destination, the car can memorize the route for the next trip. After dropping you of at work, the auto-driving vehicle can drive itself back to your home or anywhere else for that mat ter on your command, and your family or friends can use the same car all ay and send it back to ou when you are ready to go home. It an easily self-park. Platoon- ing (self-driving cars driving in an organized and disciplined way) can a void traf fic jams, pile ups and sa ve fuel costs. he U.

S. Department of Tr ans- portation and the niversity of Michigan are launching a yearlong $25 million project to test the ability of this technolog to reduce traf fic crashes, using 2,800 cars, trucks and buses from various manufacturers, before instituting any mandator technological advances for the auto makers. I sincerely hope that the self- riving cars will be readily a vail able and widely used by the time I am older with poor vision, impaired hearing weak legs and shak hands. I won mind giving up the control, as I can always change to anual, when needed. Wa it a minute, I may not last that long ven if I am a perfect driver if the Na tional Safety Council is right and about 2.

6 million accidents a year are caused by cell phone use and tex- ting So far the Florida Legislature has not been br av enough to ban texting while driving which is considered the most anger- ous driver distraction. Who knows? ow that the election is over and the foc us is back on governing maybe we ge luck in the next legislative session with a nudge from the ex ceptional local leadership. Dr Rao usunuru is a practicing cardiologist based in udson Musunuru Yo ur etters Share our opinions go to tampabay ters Ca me ra eed ed to ab ad ri ve rs I live at the corner of Regenc Pa rk Boulev ard and ollow Drive in west asco. This intersection is ver dangerous. There is a traf ic light here but one pays a tt ention to it, causing numerous accidents.

I ha ve resided here since hanksgiving weekend 2009. ve had cars landing in my yard and on one occasion a car that was broad-sided landed in my garden. I ha ve been in contact with authorities, but no one seems to want to do anything about the danger constantly lurking here. On Oct. 1, an adult bicycle rider was truck while riding south on Regency ark Boulevard.

He was in the crosswalk of this intersection and was hit by a motorist who stopped, looked at him and told my neighbor she had to lea ve but would be right back, but never returned. he bicyclist later died lea ving behind a wife, children and grandchildren. Ju st how bad does it ha ve to ge in order for someone to do something to protect innocent people living near the intersection and those who ha ve to tra vel through here There are numerous camer as up and down 19. neighbors and I would like a camera installed here and some speed bumps. I ha ve spent close to $2,000 buying huge boulders to tr to protect my home and proper ty because many at-fault drivers don ven ha ve liability insurance.

I sincerely hope something can be done before this problem ge ts worse. Sharon Smith, ort Richey ood eo pl wi lli ng help In a arget parking lot recently the wind took my cart as I tried to open the car door A oung girl an to the cart and asked if I needed help. She and her mother ot my ags in the vehicle. I thanked them both, but I want ver yone to know there are ood people illing to help. Na mi Levet, Elfer Le tt er for pu bl icatio sh ould ad dr esse to Let te rs to Edit or He nando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd Brooksville, FL 34613.

Th ey can sent fa to (352) 7 54- 6133 throug ou websit at tampabay et te rs. Th ey houl be ri ef a nd us in cl ud th writer ame, a dd re ss a nd tele ph on number Shar yo ur op in io ns CREMA ION EMIN AR AND LU NC Learn about crema tion options and the benefits of cremation preplanning I ncludes lunch. Call for reser vations. 11 a.m. today at CARES usunuru Enrichment Center 1241 7 Clock To er ark wa udson.

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today and Saturday at the ugh Embr Librar 1 4215 Fo urth Dade Cit y. (35 2) 563576. FISH FR 5 p.m. today at St. Vincent de aul Catholic hurch, 4843 Mile Stretch Drive, olida y.

$8. (7 27 697 -3302 VETERANS DA EREMON Consulate He alth Care of Ne Po rt i che 8 41 7 Old Count Road 54, will host a Ve terans Da ceremony at 2 p.m. toda y. State Rep. Mike Fa ano will speak, and a reception will follow (7 27 376 1585.

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