Self Driving Cars
| While this technology is still in early development, there are several possible benefits that could come from self-driving vehicles. |
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Once only a part of sci-fi movies, self-driving cars are quickly becoming reality. A few different companies, like Google, are testing autonomous vehicles in several countries. The process is coming along slowly, but the potential benefits keeps the work moving forward. Many are still skeptical about this technology, mostly because it is still in the early stages.
Like any new technology, self-driving cars already have their share of projected benefits and pitfalls. While many of these pros and cons are still “what ifs,” there are still some general benefits that could come from this technology when it becomes mainstream (whenever that may be.)
Safety
Humans aren't perfect. We get inpatient, we get sleepy, and we're arguably unsafe behind the wheel. In fact, an estimated 6,800 people were killed in traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2014 alone. Since upwards of 90% of crashes are due to our own faultiness, it only makes sense to remove the human error element from driving. Sure enough, the tests of self-driving cars back this up; results are promising, but obviously more study is needed. It is argued that technology and computers aren’t flawless, however, developers project that this technology will operate a car more safely than human drivers.| Related articles |
Cheaper Goods
All those items on store shelves had to come from somewhere, and they had to be driven there by a person. If self-driving cars become mainstream, it's likely that commercial distributers will be among the first to pick up the technology. As the salaries for truck drivers are eliminated, consumers might see a drop in the price of their goods. Of course, this would come at the price of a tradeoff—lower prices for customers means a loss of jobs for drivers.Less Traffic
Most experts accept that a good portion of traffic jams are caused by human error. From driving too slow, slamming on the breaks, or causing a crash, there is a lot to go wrong. Self-driving cars, however, don't get mad, don't overreact to events, and don't make mistakes. So, once more self-driving cars are on the road, we can expect to spend a significantly less time looking at brake lights. Keep in mind that it will be a long time before self-driving cars are a mainstream occurrence on our everyday roads.
Higher Productivity
Studies show consistently that the average American spends upwards of one week a year stuck in traffic. That's a lot of wasted time that employees could spend working, reading, or relaxing. Teenage drivers, on the other hand, will likely love the extra time spent safely texting or doing homework. Self-driving cars would provide drivers with a chance to multi-task (safely) while traveling—imagine how much you could get done on the long commute to and from work every day.Fuel Savings
How people drive and the conditions they drive in greatly control the fuel economy of vehicles. After all, stop and go traffic or aggressive driving guzzles gas. Self-driving vehicles will likely be able to better plan speed control, understand traffic patterns, and find the most efficient route.There's no doubt that more testing is needed, and the process will likely be slow. If you are still skeptical about self-driving cars, you should be—there is a long road ahead until these vehicles are trustworthy and fully tested. However, assuming that the results prove promising, self-driving vehicles have plenty of benefits to offer to drivers and communities. It might take some getting used to, but this technology is well on its way, and could be a large part of our future. The information for this article was provided by the Bachus & Schanker injury lawyers who specialize in car accident cases in Denver.
SOURCE Top Image: commons.wikimedia.org
| By Dixie Somers | Embed |
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