EDITORS REPORT NEURAL NETS ENABLE AUTONOMOUS CARS whether on a local system or from the web is simplified by an intuitive user interface and workflow management capabilities. The system provides real-time monitoring and visualization so users can fine-tune their work. It also supports the GPU-accelerated versions of Caffe, a framework used by many scientists and researchers to build neural nets. At the keynote address, which was delivered on a Tuesday, Tesla’s Elon Musk hinted at an upcoming announcement from his company. He remarked that we are very close to a self-driving car from a technology standpoint. However, the social and regulatory factors that must be overcome will put it off for some time. The following Thursday, Tesla revealed that it will be sending software upgrades to users that will enable them to drive hands-free on the Interstate and operate the car autonomously on private property. It would seem that this corresponds to the 0-5 and over 50 MPH ranges referred to above. It notably does not include the 5-50 MPH range that is still problematic. Regulators are said to be scrambling to deal with the Interstate capability because there are actually many states with no laws against it. California, however, where most Tesla S models are sold, does have laws requiring specially-trained drivers in autonomously controlled vehicles. That would allow autonomous operation on private property but would be risky
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otherwise. Still, it does look like we are on our way to fully autonomous cars—for those who would actually want them— far sooner than anticipated. And Elon Musk predicts that with some two billion cars on the road, any transition will take years. However, he says, “In the distant future, (legislators) may outlaw driven cars because they’re too dangerous.”