Tim Haydon
A New Terrorist Weapon - The Self-Driving Car
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Written by Tim Heydon
A new era of terrorist activity is about to open up with the advent of the self-driving car.
The what? Yes, the self-driving car. The Governor of California Jerry Brown is the latest of US State Governors to sign into law an 'autonomous-vehicles' bill which puts in place a legal framework which will determine when such vehicles are road worthy.
Sergei Brin, the co-founder of Google said at the signing at the company’s Palo Alto, California HQ that he hopes that self-driving cars will be on the public streets in five years or less.
The cars use a combination of technologies, including radar sensors on the front, video cameras aimed at the surrounding area, various other sensors and artificial-intelligence software that helps steer. Prototypes are already driving around.
There are numerous benefits in such an idea, of course, but one which hasn’t yet been thought of, or has been perhaps ignored, is that there could be nothing better for your would–be terrorist.
These self-driving vehicles (Including giant lorries) could become, in effect, guided missiles on wheels. What could be simpler than to pack one of them with explosives, dial in your target on your Tom Tom or whatever, and then wave it goodbye whilst making good your escape until it chants, ‘you have arrived at your destination’?
Who needs tanks, jets , guided missiles or 'martyrs' when you have the 'self-driving car'?
The future is about to get even nastier.
