Should we allow vehicles without drivers to take us where we need to go? Are we ready for autonomous cars to be self-driving taxis?
Self-driving taxis have been tested in some large cities in the West for a few years but haven’t gotten the full approval of the government to be part of regular public driving yet. The goal of adding autonomous cars to be part of our world is to reduce accidents and increase safety. Unfortunately, there’s a steep learning curve and transition period to making this happen.
Here are some advantages and disadvantages to autonomous cars.
Advantages
Are there any benefits to allowing your car to drive itself? Could this start with self-driving taxis and transition to privately owned vehicles from there? Can you imagine telling your car where you want to go and feeling it will get you there safely?
Improved safety
Humans can only do so much before they get tired and can lose focus. Cars driven by computers don’t have this limitation. Many accidents are caused by driver fatigue, lack of attention, or incorrect behavior. As long as the programming is right, that shouldn’t happen in autonomous cars. Nearly 99% of accidents are caused by human error, which would be reduced if all vehicles were driven autonomously.
More time for you
Imagine sitting back and relaxing during a road trip. Instead of one person in the vehicle driving and taking on the challenges of driving to the destination, the car can do the work. The only times you’ll need to stop will be to refuel, which the vehicle can navigate to the right gas stations along your route. Think of how relaxing this could be.
Better traffic efficiency
Slowdowns and traffic jams are often caused by one or two drivers going slower than the rest of the traffic around them. Using autonomous cars could improve the traffic flow and allow increased road capacity and speed. This would reduce the time consumed by traffic jams and allow you to take shorter routes. These vehicles should also be capable of being more efficient than you would be.
Increased mobility
Some people rely on family and friends for rides, but adding self-driving taxis to the mix means these people can enjoy a ride to wherever they need to go. Additionally, people who have lost the ability to drive could use their own self-driving cars and get where they need to go without the help of family members. This increases the mobility of people who are otherwise immobile.
Fewer parking lots
Using autonomous cars for transportation means the vehicle can drop off passengers and then move on to the next destination. Imagine your car driving you to work and returning home to take your kids to school or your spouse to an activity. The car could be working all day long and never need to park except to refuel.
Disadvantages
There may be many benefits to self-driving vehicles, but that doesn’t mean these vehicles don’t come with some warnings and disadvantages. There are still several dangers and ethical issues to overcome before these vehicles are used regularly.
Technical developments
The systems used in autonomous cars must be flawless. They have to work properly 100% of the time otherwise the passengers will be in danger. These vehicles also must calculate and process large amounts of data in real-time. One error in the software can cause issues for the entire system. For this reason, we’re more likely to see self-driving vehicles with the ability to have a human driver backup for many years.
Costs will be high
Whenever new technology appears on the market, its extremely expensive. It takes several years for the costs associated with new tech to reduce, making it difficult for most people to afford the technology or items associated with it. This means implementation of self-driving technology will likely be slow.
Vulnerability
One of the most challenging issues facing autonomous cars is the vulnerability to hackers and protection of data. Many drivers use their infotainment systems to make payments, which means their financial data can be stored in these systems. Additionally, hackers could take over cars that are constantly connected to an internet system, making data security one of the top roadblocks to these vehicles.
Are you ready to be a passenger in one of the autonomous cars being tested on the roads? Self-driving taxis are being used and tested in some cities, but we are still several years away from these cars becoming widespread occupants of our roadways.
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