Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

h a l f b a k e r y

Why did I think of that?

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:

pass:
register,

Auto-Circle

Car drives itself around the block.

(+1, -2)

[vote for,
against]

When there is no place to park, and you need to run into someplace for a few minutes, or a quick dinner, wouldn't it be great if your car could just drive itself around the block until you're done?

Technologically, it's not that complicated; gas, brake, turn right, gas, brake, turn right. In fact I rigged up a prototype this morning using my KitchenAide mixer and some bungee cords. I couldn't figure out the part about dealing with one-way streets, but then it occurred to me that I won't be driving, so let them write tickets, HAH!

—	jimc, Dec 23 2003

Please log in.
If you're not logged in, you can see what this page looks like, but you will not be able to add anything.

Short name, e.g., Bob's Coffee

Destination URL. E.g., https://www.coffee.com/

Description (displayed with the short name and URL.)

Interesting principle. In the long term, it is any worse for the environment or for local traffic management to have a car circulating in a 'holding pattern' rather than queuing to get in and out of a car park? The obvious question is how you would get back into the car? The part about dealing with one-way streets is easy to solve - just go down them one way (not the other way).

—	dobtabulous, Dec 23 2003

If enough people did this, you'd just gridlock the streets around busy buildings. But it did make me laugh, so +.

—	krelnik, Dec 23 2003

You're driving me crazy :)

—	phundug, Dec 23 2003

Since this is already done with chauffeured cars, I'm sure it will happen once cars can drive themselves. Until that time, however, this is just magic technology.

—	DrCurry, Dec 23 2003

(+) for enthusiasm, but semi-baked in the latest William Gibson book, Pattern Recognition

—	normzone, Dec 23 2003

I like this. I can visualise operating it from a remote control device while I pop into the chippy for 10 minutes & on a saturday when I come back from the shop and have to park at the other end of the street and lug 21 cans of pet food home.

—	po, Dec 24 2003

goes into the parking lot and exits every 3 minutes going back in until you need it.

—	pashute, Dec 10 2023

back: main index

business computer culture fashion food halfbakery home other product public science sport vehicle