These are some great points. Re #1, there is some discussion in the original article about economic forces possibly placing more workers on the streets as pedestrians, which seems plausible though I imagine it's very difficult to take measurements of actual pedestrians. I also like the idea of thinking of this in a per-mile-driven effect…
These are some great points. Re #1, there is some discussion in the original article about economic forces possibly placing more workers on the streets as pedestrians, which seems plausible though I imagine it's very difficult to take measurements of actual pedestrians. I also like the idea of thinking of this in a per-mile-driven effect; those same economic forces in certain areas could be putting more drivers on the road as well. And the difference in incentives--it's on the manufacturers to focus on safety within the car, government's responsibility to engineer pedestrian safety--is also a fascinating consideration. If we're looking at a future of autopilots, it certainly seems like protecting people in cars would be easier than protecting pedestrians, who are unpredictable and harder to spot.
These are some great points. Re #1, there is some discussion in the original article about economic forces possibly placing more workers on the streets as pedestrians, which seems plausible though I imagine it's very difficult to take measurements of actual pedestrians. I also like the idea of thinking of this in a per-mile-driven effect; those same economic forces in certain areas could be putting more drivers on the road as well. And the difference in incentives--it's on the manufacturers to focus on safety within the car, government's responsibility to engineer pedestrian safety--is also a fascinating consideration. If we're looking at a future of autopilots, it certainly seems like protecting people in cars would be easier than protecting pedestrians, who are unpredictable and harder to spot.