Re: Better than the next guy
Ignoring the dubious credentials of Rand, I think this does highlight a theme, a halfway house that is being ignored in the wider debate about AVs, and that is simply limiting the vehicle to obey the laws and road conventions, but not taking responsibility for direction, speed or braking beyond that (I'd include collision mitigation/avoidance braking). I don't think that's what Rand are getting at, but I think this is a better way forward, whether as a permanent change, or as a stepping stone to full automation. I suspect that making all vehicles stick to the rules would get that 10% reduction in casualties.
In the case of the OP, it would mean that the other vehicle couldn't have exceeded a posted speed limit, it would have had to have stopped if the signs or traffic signals indicated that. Ultimately it might not have stopped the car pulling out in front of oncoming traffic, but that sort of fully automated driving is (I would guess) an order of magnitude or two greater complexity, than simply "rules of the road" automation.
Now, as an enthusiastic driver who doesn't always obey the rules, I'm in no hurry for this on my own account, but looking more widely, this would be an improvement where driving standards are low (like the US). And maybe I over-estimate my own abilities and would be an ideal candidate to have a car that could only obey the rules.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
