[Adam Y.]

ian - why bother automating the car? just make lousy drivers walk or take the bus.

Hmm... I believe there all ready is an autonomous car. It also isn't a matter of lousy drivers. It's a matter of machines respond quicker than humans do and they usually don't panic when problems arise.

When I heard that California was going to put a ban on talking on the phone while driving, I was very upset because there are dozens of other things far more distracting than talking on the phone. Also, I thought it is my personal right to talk on my own phone while driving in my own vehicle. But after the s**t I see on the road every day, I now fully support any legislation that will prohibit the use of cell phones while driving. Americans get so easily destracted while driving. Just today there was an accident on the freeway because of the rain (and somebody not being focused). Then another driver slows down to look at the accident, and they crash. Heck, most cars have cruise control and a good alignment and you don't even have to use your feet or your hands for going straight anyhow. Driving has become too easy. The requirements for driver's ed and training are too low. Testing is not done often enough.

Americans get distracted enough while walking and talking on cell phones let alone driving. I saw someone walk into the middle of a busy intersection while talking on her cell phone without even paying attention to traffic. Traffic pileups in the rain is another story though in California which is a matter of ignoring safety laws. I have watched shows about how if fog/rain in the west is in the right conditions then you can't avoid an accident that is up ahead if you are traveling too fast.