The Future Of Driverless Cars
by Natasha Christou Digital Marketing ConsultantThanks to the hustle and bustle of modern
life, we spend much of our time on the move — and that time is precious.
Therefore, particularly while driving, having as comfortable a journey as
possible, and one that involves minimal effort, is a necessity. There are a
number of automotive gadgets that we all take for granted, and we would be lost
without them if we had to set off on a 200-mile round trip and our home comfort
wasn’t there.
Take a radio for example. The first major
entertainment device, however it is rarely found switched on within the four
walls of the house now — unless we’re doing the dishes and can’t give Netflix
our full undivided attention. In the car however, the radio or aux port is an
absolute must, and without it, the silence is utterly deafening.
For those longer journeys however, it is
the automotive gadgets that we don’t think about at first attempt that actually
bring us the most comfort. Cruise control is readily available in most standard
issue cars now, however if not, it can be fitted as an added extra.
The device, which regulates a vehicles
speed, could be considered the ultimate pioneer in the autonomous vehicle revolution.
In 1948, Ralph Teetor, a man who didn’t drive himself as he was blind, noticed
how people behind the wheel tended to slow down when they were having a
conversation. This frustrated Teetor, and he wanted a solution. Creating cruise
control, Teetor effectively allowed the driver to pay less attention to
negotiating the vehicle on the road.
Seven decades ago and Herbie: The Love Bug would have seemed like an unfathomable idea to
anyone in the automotive industry. The lovable Beetle, however, was a fictional
car, and we didn’t have to worry about him bumping into us on the way to shops
on a Sunday morning. Although now in 2019, it appears fully autonomous
(driverless cars) could be hitting our roads as soon as next year.
Driverless cars, a bit like Brexit, are
something many of us tended to ignore, as it seemed like one of those events
that was never going to happen. At the very least, if it was going to happen at
all, it was years away. But, 2020 could be the year. Therefore, here with
Lookers, retailers of the used Ford Focus, we take a
look at autonomous vehicles and the huge debates around their introduction.
Safety
The overarching argument for unleashing
these cars onto the market is increased safety. For the year ending June 2018,
26,610 had been either killed or seriously injured in traffic collisions on UK
roads. A report in 2017 found that two per cent of accidents were caused by
weather conditions, two per cent caused by vehicle issues, and a further two
per cent by unknown reasons. That leaves 94 per cent — which has been
associated with human error.
Not one of us is perfect. We’ve all made mistakes
behind the wheel, some more considerable than others. But humans do these
things. We get road-rage while we’re stuck in traffic, use our phones when we
shouldn’t, and we get tired. For an autonomous vehicle, these factors don’t
come in to play — and they certainly wouldn’t drink and drive. Despite
relentless campaigns to stop drink driving in the UK, it is still a major issue.
Between 1979 and 2014, an average of 666 people were killed on Great Britain’s
roads each year, thanks to someone driving under the influence.
So, why wouldn’t we pass the bat over to
driverless cars? If autonomy can be perfected, which major car manufacturers in
the US mostly are proving it can, then 90 per cent of crashes would be
prevented.
The drawback
A study carried out in California, between
2014 and 2018, found that, of the 38 accidents in which autonomous vehicles were
involved, all but one was caused by a human. If we were to follow the
statistics offered by the report, then any rational thinker would be proposing
we remove the ‘driving seat’ and let AVs lead the way.
It must be considered however, all these tests
have been carried out in California (The Sunshine State), where weather bares
little resemblance to that of ‘Caledonia’. If the driverless car is going to be
unleashed onto our British roads, it would be more than appropriate to make it
spend a few months driving around the Highlands and Islands, battling against
the elements.
One of the major arguments that has
presented itself time and time again throughout the US, as talk of driverless
cars has increased, is the conscience within the car. ’You decide: Would you
let a car determine who dies?’, was the title of ABC’s 2018 article. The piece,
published by the Australian news outlet, points to the fact that, at some stage
in the future, an AV is going to play God — deciding whether someone lives or
dies.
John Gilpin, aged 52, was faced with the
decision back in the 1980s that driverless cars will face in the future. “I was
driving a refrigeration lorry at about 50mph towards a roundabout at the bottom
of the dual carriageway. As I approached the roundabout, a school bus coming
towards me had lost control and headed on to my side of the road. I was faced
with the option of taking out a full school bus or throwing the truck into the
ditch.” John’s snap decision cost him his much of his eyesight, but prevented
the death of so many others.
ABC’s article questions whether or not the
autonomous vehicle would be able to make the same decision. A human will place
their decision in context, whereas a driverless vehicle will simply save the
most people.
Undoubtedly the manufacturers of driverless
cars are going to place a huge emphasis on the safety these cars will provide
and bring to the roads, and their introduction will be a slow phasing process
throughout the world.
There are still so many questions that
remain unanswered however. Most of us have been in the situation where someone
has shunted us from behind, crippling the back bumper. We get out, we protest
our innocence and demand their admittance of guilt. With AVs, who do we blame?
Time will be the ultimate teller in this
saga, but it certainly will be an interesting one.
Sponsor Ads
Created on Mar 19th 2020 07:50. Viewed 317 times.