Electronics firms expand business in self-driving, EV technology

Statistically, recent traffic accidents which were overtly reported ascribing to aged people are inaccurate. Accidents by aged folks are not particularly high compared with other age groups. What is necessary is on the side of car makers. It is necessary for them to improve safety of cars using censors and computers.  In local areas, returning drivers' licenses cause a lot of inconveniences for aged people.

Elderly people become much more than young ones. The car makers still want good elderly people to buy more EV cars and also young people.

Elderly people become much more than young ones.

Much more what?

This is all fine and dandy but isn't anyone worried about the computer system malfunctioning? In the older cars without computers, the owners can hear and feel certain tell tails for something beginning to go wrong with the car. Base on experience, one day the car is all cool and well, then suddenly all shuts down. Without any warning. My car has already been recalled 3 times due to cliches, all relating to computer system. My brother's '68 is still on the road without problems. Of course some would say that his car is not environmentally friendly. But stop and think about how environmentally friendly a modern day car it to produce. In addition, more electric cars means more coal plants and nuclear power plants to produce enough electricity to keep them charged. I say keep cars simple and improve catalytic converter tech. Less pollution to produce and less maintenance required.

This is all fine and dandy but isn't anyone worried about the computer system malfunctioning?

No more than I worry about it in airplanes.

Computers are more consistent, by a long means, than humans. And as time progresses, their internal programming will only get better and better, with less and less malfunctions.

Yep, cars are increasingly computers with wheels.

Possibly the worst aspect of this is that it keeps cars central to our living arrangements. Most car journeys are short and should not involve a big two-three ton box moving one person. The cost of it, for the cars and all the infrastructure they need, is huge. In financial, environmental, and possibly even happiness terms.

My elderly father recently drove his Tesla from California to Florida and back with his dog (his wife had just died). As a retired Intel engineer, he's quite knowledgable of technology and kept a blog about how his car behaved. Particularly on the freeway, he was pleased that he could relinquish control to the automation and play with his dog.

Japanese automakers must abandon Japanese self-driving tech suppliers and adopt foreign technology ASAP.

Japanese self-driving technology suppliers are a decade behind American vendors and can't possibly compete with them. Japanese automakers sticking with Japanese self-driving technology means they will fall behind and not be competitive.

This is the same as Japanese EV. Because Japanese automakers stuck to Japanese battery, they couldn't compete with foreign EVs powered by Korean batteries(Even Porsche and Ferrari EVs are powered by Korean batteries) and this is why Japan has fallen behind even the Chinese in EV technology.

"All-Japan" approach is no longer viable, especially when many of Japan's industries are no longer competitive.

re @ Samit Basu, All part of the globalist agenda but concur Japan needs to reach more towards EV expansion in R&D investment, but keep it to made in Japan.

All part of the globalist agenda 

Who are these globalists you speak of, and what is their agenda? Do you have a link to it? And who are some of the people in the group of globalists?

People always refer to globalists and their agenda but haven’t been able to get anyone to explain who they are and what it is. Very confusing.

Comes across as more of a boogeyman than anything.

Much more what?

sorry, it should be much more increase.

I support more ev and more driverless. can't wait.