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comment by mk
mk  ·  3517 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Mercedes Robo-Car That Made Me Want to Stop Driving

Yeah, it would be a death trap.

But there's no reason they can't drive themselves up to your house.





kleinbl00  ·  3517 days ago  ·  link  ·  

...other than the fact that the weight used to shift stuff around goes where the people go.

mk  ·  3517 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No, check out the video, no shifting weights. It simply leans in when the wheel turns, and acceleration keeps it from falling over.

kleinbl00  ·  3517 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Okay, more precisely put:

They're using weight where the people go in order to use the geometry the way it's intended. Yes, they're dinking with the steering column to accomplish their balance. That's why it's wobbly as fuck at low speeds - they don't have the balance one would get from riding it.

If you take that bike and try to put a person on it, that weight needs to move. It can't stay where it is.

There's an easier way... but it's about as dorktastic as a self-driving Vespa.