I seldom open new topics but I just have to express my feelings on this one. It is of course, inspired by the recent fatal Tesla crash.

I cannot understand the fascination with "self-driving" cars. As a tech drill, such things can be interesting but do we really believe that a vehicle under control of a computer can be safe under any and all conditions which may be encountered? One example may be during rain or snow. Microwave radiation is scattered by raindrops and becomes less than reliable. Slippery surfaces handled by an autopilot? I don't think so. Will the system recognize and refuse to cross a downed power line? Can we rely on the self-driving system to make the correct decision under all conditions? I don't think so. Of course neither do human drivers.

I realize that engagement of a self-driving function is caveated by acknowledgement of when it is safe to do so but I believe that so long as it is available, it will be misused. Observe those than take attention from the road to manipulate in-car infotainment systems, nav systems, communications and even radios even though they have pressed a button that says they will not do so.

I'm not implying that a human driver is always faultless, far from it. The human driver however is just that; human. If he chooses to run over a 'possum rather than damage his car, so be it. If someone chooses to not drive, let them take a plane, train, bus or taxi. Just stay the hell out of a car on the road with the rest of us.