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Comment by kayodelycaon | Hacker News Reader

Actual metal rails aren't viable for a large number of factors. The least of which is maintenance due to big trucks damaging continuously degrading road around them. You'd be better off putting magnets in the road and have equipment in cars to follow them.

Even then, you're no better off than existing self-driving because you have to deal with every other car on the road that doesn't support "rails".

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Ah, yes I forgot to mention that part of the idea is that everyone on that particular "smart freeway" would be required to have the hardware to support it, no exceptions.

Yes, I understand that would be quite regressive and has a host of other concerns. However, for the narrow purposes of easier, safer, and more efficient driving while on the freeway, I do still wonder if it will work.

Assuming your suggestion is possible, why wouldn't we just replace the road with railway tracks and move vehicles on flatbed cars instead?

No one would need to change their cars.

And before anyone mentions throughput, let's assume we can use custom track sizes and just have people drive into the side of a railway car, like it was a ferry. Should be able to stack cars two height.

I mean...you're not wrong on that suggestion :D It just seems like _something_ would be easier than solving for every.single.edge.case with generalized autonomous driving.

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