State needs clear rules for self-driving cars
Once last year, I spotted a car testing self-driving technology, alongside three human-driven cars, waiting to make a left turn. It was easy to spot, since the self-driving test car was the only one using a turn signal.
It made me to think about the programming of these cars, and wonder what they make of the “Pittsburgh Left” at traffic lights — the courtesy turn that drivers allow a driver across the intersection. Would a selfdriving car take advantage of it? Or more importantly, would it allow one?
All this came to mind again when I read analyses of the video of the pedestrian (Elaine Herzberg) killed crossing the road in Arizona in March that led to the closing of Uber’s selfdriving program in Tempe and the layoff of nearly 300 employees. From the analyses, the software saw something unidentifiable six seconds before the impact, realized it was a pedestrian one second before the impact, then sounded the alarm for the driver to brake. The driver was engaged in other tasks and hadn’t noticed the pedestrian, and the video only shows her horrified realization of something wrong, too late to brake. (The article noted that other companies employ two drivers, one to watch the road and the other to do the other tasks.)
It would be good to know how Uber plans to address these problems before they resume driving in Pittsburgh. However, our 203 full-time state legislators, led by the incomparable House Speaker Mike Turzai, have not yet addressed the question of if there should be any reporting required of self-driving cars, so Uber is not obliged to provide any information about their plans. Perhaps we’ll learn more when there is another accident. JIM MORGAN
Squirrel Hill
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it was supposed to be funny.
If she believes Barack Obama belongs to the superrich tribe, she either didn’t see his tax returns while in office or she is colorblind. Echoing Donald Trump’s comments after the Charlottesville demonstration last August, what her theory of tribalism concludes is “there are good people on both sides.” She only had ridicule for Mr. Obama and his supposed super-rich tribe, but said nothing of the white nationalism or Nazis tribes. They must be OK.
According to Ms. Dailey, we must accept all tribes, unless, of course, you are an ex-black president. DONALD PALMERINE
Mt. Lebanon
Regarding the June 23 letter “Relativism Is Growing Norm Among Elites” by Stephen Sokol:
Mr. Sokol believes that today’s celebrities and entertainers are pushing our democracy to its tipping point. But they’re not causing it to happen; they’re reacting to it happening.
He is right in a way, though. A celebrity/entertainer using vulgar stupidity, crass behavior and rejecting the responsibility of citizenship is tipping our democracy — and he resides in the White House. PAUL FISCHER
McCandless
Dear Charles Krauthammer: I had meant to write this letter sooner, but I wasn’t quick enough, so I am writing to you now posthumously (Obituary, June 22, “Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist and Intellectual Provocateur”). This will be a sort of shiva for those of us who knew you from your writing and TV appearances.
I am writing as one of your silent fans. I say silent, because there are scores who read your columns and watched you on the “Special Report” on Fox News between 6:30 and 7 p.m.
The word “shiva” is derived from Hebrew and refers to the seven-day period immediately following a burial when family and friends visit the home of the mourners to comfort them. It is traditional to reminisce about the deceased and even laugh a little about the humorous side of the departed person. This gathering helps the mourners to move through the grieving process.
Dr. Krauthammer, those of us who revered you will walk through the grieving process singly but with the understanding that many others will also be sitting shiva with us figuratively. We will grieve when we see your empty chair on “Special Report,” and we will grieve when we see that your Saturday column in the Post-Gazette is missing. You taught us how to live by your example and how to die by your final words. Rest in peace with the knowledge that you have touched our lives with your wisdom and insights. PATRICIA LOVE ANOUCHI
Squirrel Hill