Tesla possibly coming to Houston (Dallas, Austin: credit, versus, shop)
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Once driverless cars take over the roadways and 150 mph becomes the speed limit for cars on the higway, which is just around the corner from being a reality, it will take about 95 minutes to drive from Houston to Dallas, 80 minutes to San Antonio, 66 minutes to Austin, and 2 hours to New Orleans. At those speeds, distances become much shorter.
This seems like science fiction to me but it would be quite amazing. Do you think it would lower traffic in any way?
This seems like science fiction to me but it would be quite amazing. Do you think it would lower traffic in any way?
Yes it would lower traffic because it eliminates what causes 90% of traffic, which is people driving at different speeds on the freeway lanes. No one seems to understand that each lane to the left should be moving faster than the lane(s) to its right so that a flow is maintained. If a faster car is moving up behind you, then you either speed up or you move one lane to the right to allow for passing. This also requires people to leave wider space between vehicles. Part of the reason for the 5G expansions (however anyone feels about it), is because it'll greatly assist with guiding these future autonomous vehicles.
So yeah, having strictly autonomous vehicles on the roadway is going to be very beneficial for traffic movement.
Yes it would lower traffic because it eliminates what causes 90% of traffic, which is people driving at different speeds on the freeway lanes. No one seems to understand that each lane to the left should be moving faster than the lane(s) to its right so that a flow is maintained. If a faster car is moving up behind you, then you either speed up or you move one lane to the right to allow for passing. This also requires people to leave wider space between vehicles. Part of the reason for the 5G expansions (however anyone feels about it), is because it'll greatly assist with guiding these future autonomous vehicles.
So yeah, having strictly autonomous vehicles on the roadway is going to be very beneficial for traffic movement.
While different speeds can contribute to congestion, I'd say they pale in comparison to (1) weaving (especially required weaving for exiting and entering) and (2) flat out over-capacity.
People driving excessively fast are just as guilty of the "differential speeds" problem as those driving excessively slowly. Example: if I'm in the second lane from the left on the freeway, going my usual 5 mph over the limit, and come up behind a vehicle in front of me that is going the limit or less, I will get in the leftmost lane when I have a chance to do so safely, and drive my limit + 5 mph until I've passed that vehicle and can safely return to the 2nd lane. If you come up behind me in the left lane doing 15 mph over the limit, sorry, you are going to wait until I've finished passing. I'm not going to speed up to 15-20 mph for you. I am in the right, you are in the wrong, and the one causing the problem. Even if you're driving a BMW or a big pickup, you are no less in the wrong. You are causing the excessive speed differential and necessitating the use of brakes (your own).
Also, I was doing nearly 10 mph over the limit (40 mph) on N. Eldridge through Addicks Reservoir recently, in the left lane (2 lanes each direction). The car in the right lane was slightly ahead of me and doing the same speed. A sport model Mercedes came up at roughly 60 mph and rode each of our rear bumpers trying to get around. Finally due to traffic enough space opened up that he could squeeze through and dash up to the next traffic clump, where the same thing happened to him. He made a gesture of extreme displeasure at me when he passed, as though I'm supposed to change my speed for him. In that case again, he is the one causing the problem, not me or the other drivers, even though he has the privilege of the fancy German car.
While different speeds can contribute to congestion, I'd say they pale in comparison to (1) weaving (especially required weaving for exiting and entering) and (2) flat out over-capacity.
People driving excessively fast are just as guilty of the "differential speeds" problem as those driving excessively slowly. Example: if I'm in the second lane from the left on the freeway, going my usual 5 mph over the limit, and come up behind a vehicle in front of me that is going the limit or less, I will get in the leftmost lane when I have a chance to do so safely, and drive my limit + 5 mph until I've passed that vehicle and can safely return to the 2nd lane. If you come up behind me in the left lane doing 15 mph over the limit, sorry, you are going to wait until I've finished passing. I'm not going to speed up to 15-20 mph for you. I am in the right, you are in the wrong, and the one causing the problem. Even if you're driving a BMW or a big pickup, you are no less in the wrong. You are causing the excessive speed differential and necessitating the use of brakes (your own).
Also, I was doing nearly 10 mph over the limit (40 mph) on N. Eldridge through Addicks Reservoir recently, in the left lane (2 lanes each direction). The car in the right lane was slightly ahead of me and doing the same speed. A sport model Mercedes came up at roughly 60 mph and rode each of our rear bumpers trying to get around. Finally due to traffic enough space opened up that he could squeeze through and dash up to the next traffic clump, where the same thing happened to him. He made a gesture of extreme displeasure at me when he passed, as though I'm supposed to change my speed for him. In that case again, he is the one causing the problem, not me or the other drivers, even though he has the privilege of the fancy German car.
All of the above are causes to road traffic. You going 5 over in the left barely passing the car to your right (cause what if they speed up by 2-4MPH as you pass which happens often) while people behind you want to go 10 over. The semi who gets in the left lane of a wide freeway going 1MPH faster than the other semi its trying to pass, etc. Weaving is dangerous. Some caused by excessive speed and other times to avoid bad drivers. Like Ive seen three to four lanes of a freeeway blocked for a while because there's 3-4 drivers going around the same speed with hardly any passing.
Capacity is an issue but a lot of the capacity issues are simply due to human driving. Traffic agencies have done simulations on this and driving like how I mentioned above freed up freeway capacity with the same amount of traffic. I'll have to find the video but it's common sense when you think about it. People are too distracted and simply don't understand, so instead computers will do it for us.
All of the above are causes to road traffic. You going 5 over in the left barely passing the car to your right (cause what if they speed up by 2-4MPH as you pass which happens often) while people behind you want to go 10 over. The semi who gets in the left lane of a wide freeway going 1MPH faster than the other semi its trying to pass, etc. Weaving is dangerous. Some caused by excessive speed and other times to avoid bad drivers. Like Ive seen three to four lanes of a freeeway blocked for a while because there's 3-4 drivers going around the same speed with hardly any passing.
Capacity is an issue but a lot of the capacity issues are simply due to human driving. Traffic agencies have done simulations on this and driving like how I mentioned above freed up freeway capacity with the same amount of traffic. I'll have to find the video but it's common sense when you think about it. People are too distracted and simply don't understand, so instead computers will do it for us.
The left lane is for passing. If I'm in the next lane and need to pass, I'm going to do it if there's a reasonable opening. Especially since I'm already over the speed limit. If someone wants to be a poor driver and cause congestion because they're doing 15 over the limit and run up on me while I'm passing, then it's clear they are the problem, not me. Period.
The left lane is for passing. If I'm in the next lane and need to pass, I'm going to do it if there's a reasonable opening. Especially since I'm already over the speed limit. If someone wants to be a poor driver and cause congestion because they're doing 15 over the limit and run up on me while I'm passing, then it's clear they are the problem, not me. Period.
I understand your point. However, a friend of mine got a ticket for impeding traffic (or some similar thing) in February for just that - not passing quickly enough in the left lane.
Yes it would lower traffic because it eliminates what causes 90% of traffic, which is people driving at different speeds on the freeway lanes. No one seems to understand that each lane to the left should be moving faster than the lane(s) to its right so that a flow is maintained. If a faster car is moving up behind you, then you either speed up or you move one lane to the right to allow for passing. This also requires people to leave wider space between vehicles. Part of the reason for the 5G expansions (however anyone feels about it), is because it'll greatly assist with guiding these future autonomous vehicles.
So yeah, having strictly autonomous vehicles on the roadway is going to be very beneficial for traffic movement.
Not only that, but I think cars will come in all different shapes and sizes which will also help ease traffic. Here are a few other changes I envision:
1) We will have a ton of small, one-seater cars which would occupy less space on the roads
2) Lanes will eventually be unnecessary and perhaps we could squeeze cars closer together and fit more of them side by side. The only reason lanes are as wide as they are now is to accomodate for human error.
3) Get rid of the concept of northbound/southbound lanes (or eastbound/westbound) and make roadspace a lot more flexible. For example, if the majority of people are traveling north in the morning during rush hour, then dedicate more 'lanes' going north in the morning, and south in the afternoon.
4) People can subscribe to car services rather than own their own cars which could make things like car-pooling easier to do.
I would actually really like to see this 'car as a service' really take off and function more like a public transportation network. What I'm envisioning is that when I want to go somewhere, I open my app and request a one-seater car to come pick me up straight from my door. If I am going somewhere very close, the car will take me directly there. If I'm going further away, the one-seater car might just take me to a transfer station where I get out of the one-seater and then transfer to a larger, more higher-speed vehcile to take me to my destination.
This is actually similar to how public transportation works in Texas today where we have buses for shorter/slower distances and commuter rail for longer distances (and eventually High Speed Rail for travelning between cities). I envision this is how autonomous cars will function as well, but they will be significantly more efficient at it and way more widely used.
Not only that, but I think cars will come in all different shapes and sizes which will also help ease traffic. Here are a few other changes I envision:
1) We will have a ton of small, one-seater cars which would occupy less space on the roads
2) Lanes will eventually be unnecessary and perhaps we could squeeze cars closer together and fit more of them side by side. The only reason lanes are as wide as they are now is to accomodate for human error.
3) Get rid of the concept of northbound/southbound lanes (or eastbound/westbound) and make roadspace a lot more flexible. For example, if the majority of people are traveling north in the morning during rush hour, then dedicate more 'lanes' going north in the morning, and south in the afternoon.
4) People can subscribe to car services rather than own their own cars which could make things like car-pooling easier to do.
I would actually really like to see this 'car as a service' really take off and function more like a public transportation network. What I'm envisioning is that when I want to go somewhere, I open my app and request a one-seater car to come pick me up straight from my door. If I am going somewhere very close, the car will take me directly there. If I'm going further away, the one-seater car might just take me to a transfer station where I get out of the one-seater and then transfer to a larger, more higher-speed vehcile to take me to my destination.
This is actually similar to how public transportation works in Texas today where we have buses for shorter/slower distances and commuter rail for longer distances (and eventually High Speed Rail for travelning between cities). I envision this is how autonomous cars will function as well, but they will be significantly more efficient at it and way more widely used.
^^This. It's flabbergasting that we're still wasting precious resources on highway expansions. Even Abbott himself admitted not too long ago that we're at the end of expansions after this cycle.
The Interstate Highway system is just about built out, but should always be maintained structurally and improved technologically. That includes provision for computer controlled highspeed electric car lanes... and bullet trains running in the Texas triangle right of way. But continue to provide accommodation for local individual traffic.
^^This. It's flabbergasting that we're still wasting precious resources on highway expansions. Even Abbott himself admitted not too long ago that we're at the end of expansions after this cycle.
Agreed with all these points. The intention to make controlled automated and driverless vehicles theoretically also be much safer regarding driving behavior, and therefore save lives, and also cause fewer accidents with fewer associated slowdowns, would be a massive beneficial impact.
Also, to the extent that a vehicles are not assigned to any one traveling party and must bring them not only to a destination but from it, the need for parking space could decline drastically, thereby bringing enormous savings from land consumption and building costs.
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