A key goal is to achieve greater safety than we have at present. A five-fold reduction in fatalities is probably required to make the system acceptable. Much better is possible since humans really are rather bad drivers, but complete safety cannot be guaranteed. Now we shall consider the problems that have to be solved in order to realize the system. Performance of the computer, cameras, and associated electronics.
Present computers seem to be fast enough and to have enough memory for the job.
However, commercial computers of the required performance are too big. We envisage that a computer of about the power of the Digital Equipment PDP-10 will be required. Military versions of similar computers have volumes of one or two cubic feet, but the requirements for memory and secondary storage would be difficult to meet in a reasonable volume at present. However, the development of more compact computers and other electronic circuitry is proceeding at a rate that makes achieving the required compactness not the pacing item. Some improvements in the performance and compactness of television cameras is also required, but it is not yet clear what these requirements are.