Straight out of Back to the Future, self-driving cars are one of the most impressive developments of this century. These driverless cars can not only prevent car accidents and collisions but can also be a more efficient way of transportation.
The first of these cars was created by Mercedes-Benz in 1984 but was not fully developed until the 90s and early 2000s. This cool and exciting new concept was limited by the current slow processors and data of the time. In the 30 years since then, there have been some amazing advancements.
Some cars are now equipped with fast-moving radars and infrared sensors to ensure passenger safety, with a smooth, seamless ride.
The main concern with these cars is whether they are as skilled as experienced human drivers. Driverless cars are in fact capable of human perceptual and decision-making processes, as made possible by high-tech AI.
These cars can sense anything from another car to a grandma hobbling across the street. They can successfully switch lanes and even navigate congested Los Angeles highways.
Self-driving cars also provide a safer ride because their softwares can’t become judgment-impaired due to substances or sleep deprivation.
As an emerging technology, various studies are analyzing the benefits of self-driving cars.
A recent study from the University of California Berkeley found that where there are more self-drive cars, “stop-and-go traffic was eliminated and gas usage was reduced by 42%” implying a reduction in fossil fuel emissions and consumption. CMT found that, “Tesla cars were 50% less likely to have accidents than comparable non-self-driving cars.” Tesla’s autopilot allows the driver to not have to worry about focusing entirely on the road, freeing them up to enjoy a conversation with passengers or relax a little more.
However, to ensure the safety of passengers, the driver would get alerted after a certain amount of time when the car notices you dozing off.
This prevents deadly results due to drowsy driving. If your hands aren’t sensed on the steering wheel after a few attempts of the Tesla’s alerts, the car will automatically slow to a safe stop, and turn on the emergency flashers.
However, realistically this should all be avoided by the driver’s hands on the wheel at all times.
While Teslas are arguably the most noticeable, they aren’t alone in the world of self-driving cars. A few others close at their heels are Audi with their autopilot feature, BMW, and Nissan.
Furthermore, this list is growing as Porsche, and Mercedes have expected self-drive cars to be developed for release within the next few years.
This could mean big things concerning traffic and accident statistics as these cars come out. “I would consider autonomous driving to be basically a solved problem.” Elon Musk stated.