Driver-less Cars

There is an exciting meme circulating in techie land ... and that is driver-less cars ... first Google then Über and now Apple ... see: Tech Times Story.

I think that this technology will probable succeed except for one small issue ... the human driver in the other car. I know that I often look to the driver of the other car for visual cues as to what to do ... the eyes, the hand gestures, the demeanor (passive or aggressive). I think that it is unlikely that computer algorithms will ever be able to pick up such subtle visual cues. And, at least initially, seeing a driver-less car approach may cause mishaps just from the shock itself. Thus, while driver-less cars may not run into things, things may run into them.

Also, what happens when two or more driver-less cars converge? Will their defense protocols cause them to hesitate causing an infernal gridlock?

It's bound to be an insurance company nightmare.