Humanity will fundamentally change the idea of transportation in the nearest future. The automobile industry is developing exceptionally actively, and if previously unmanned cars seemed a fantastic future, today they are becoming a new reality. The cars that numerous people are accustomed to will be replaced by more intelligent and advanced vehicles. Therefore, in 20 years, self-driven cars may become the primary means of transportation on public roads. Undoubtedly, this raises multiple questions and concerns, the primary of which is safety. However, technology is the engine of progress, and despite all the risks, self-driven vehicles are the future’s reality.
Technology and its advances have always made people’s lives easier. The first examples of the self-driven technology are all driver assistance systems. These include parktronic, cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and lane control. Due to them, one relies less and less on driving skills (Robert 687). The development of such technologies began in the 80s of the twentieth century. German scientist Ernst Dickmanns produced the first smart car based on the Mercedes-Benz Vario (Robert 687).
Inside the capacious van, it was possible to install a computer, which controlled the wheel turning control, throttle and brake system, and video cameras, allowing computers to receive information about the situation on the road. The creation of such an advanced vehicle marked the beginning of the Eureka project, and this is where the new era of the automobile industry began.
Even nowadays, questions about the emergence of self-driven cars arouse public curiosity. Most well-known car companies are talking about creating and testing their models. The American corporation Google has become the most advanced in this regard (Robert 688). Unmanned cars will be able to change the world globally and make it safer. The transition to a new type of transport will affect numerous areas, and this transition will have both positive and negative sides. It is the reduction of the number of accidents that is the main argument in favor of self-driven cars. According to AT Kearney, unmanned vehicles reduce the likelihood of accidents by 70% (Robert 687). Statistically, the number of deaths and accidents involving cars driven by drivers is many times higher than that of drones.
The reduction in accidents on the road is achieved because a self-driven vehicle does not knowingly violate the rules of the road. It never goes beyond its assigned task. A human, unlike a car, oversteps the rules, which not infrequently leads to disastrous consequences (Lal 19). Driving at forbidden traffic lights, speeding violations, driving in a state of intoxication – the artificial intelligence of the car excludes all these factors. Likewise, the computer can process information and make decisions much faster than humans. On the road, where the situation can change in an instant, quick reactions and correct actions can increase the level of safety.
Humans are prone to fatigue, sleepiness, and inattention, negatively affecting driving qualities. Technical vision organs allow moving at anytime of the day without any difficulties (Lal 19). Various sensors, video cameras, and other technological innovations make it possible for the car to recognize objects in poor visibility. It enables a vehicle to measure the distance to them, calculate the trajectory of movement, and choose the optimal speed.
Another argument in favor of self-driven cars is the possibility of unloading roads. A modern megalopolis has numerous cars, making substantial traffic jams and congestion a significant problem when saving time. A self-driven car vehicle determines the exact information about the congestion of certain streets so that it can easily choose the best route (Lal 23). Moreover, the city will eliminate the problem of a lack of parking spaces due to the autonomous parking system, which will independently identify a free parking space, and the car will take it without the driver’s participation. It will lead to an increase in the capacity of roads.
Self-driven vehicles can even reduce the cost of transporting goods and passengers, saving fuel. For example, if five cars are lined up in one column on the highway, the fifth car will consume 30% less fuel than the first (Lal 29). One car will use more fuel to overcome wind resistance at speed than a column of trucks already in the air stream. If a driver operates only the first automobile, and the others are unmanned, then there will be savings on wages and taxes.
However, one should assess its risks before entrusting the future and life to a new vehicle. A considerable disadvantage of the uncrewed auto is that its use in the future will deprive millions of people of their jobs. The creation of mobile cab services by well-known companies such as Uber and Yandex has provoked negativity from cab drivers worldwide (Lal 26). Soon, self-driven vehicles will deprive cab drivers of their jobs. According to estimates, about 4 million drivers will become unemployed, and transportation will become a fully automated sphere of activity. At the same time, the development and testing of new machines requires the involvement of many people, which will create new jobs and professions.
The next drawback is the lack of a legal framework for regulating self-driven vehicles. The concern is how to legally determine who will be at fault in case of an accident. Currently, drones are prohibited in most countries because the development of laws to regulate such vehicles is at an early stage (Lal 19). Moreover, some cars still have minor technical defects and shortcomings due to deficiencies in vehicle design and financial costs. General Motors has identified a defect in the ignition switch, which caused the engine to turn off unexpectedly. A large number of automobiles had to be recalled because of this incident. Such defects can bring significant losses to the company.
Nevertheless, the American legislature may pass a law exempting self-driven cars from liability. Since 90% of accidents are caused by driver error, using self-driven cars should lead to a drastic reduction in road injuries and fatalities (Lal 28). It leads to a positive result, despite the small number of accidents due to technical failures. Other technological innovations have already demonstrated similar statistics. For example, airbags save more lives than they destroy due to faulty triggering. Another possible disadvantage is the high price due to the internal technical filling of the auto (Lal 24). All kinds of autonomous control systems are technological innovations.
Therefore, the price of such equipment is exorbitant for the average user. Besides, numerous people do not want to give a large sum for a car, which is entirely controlled by a computer, because society does not particularly trust new technology.
However, recent developments in the automotive industry show that progress does not stand still. The first cars, which replaced horse-drawn carriages, made people wary and perplexed. Nowadays, no one is surprised by such a vehicle. Unambiguously self-driven cars will be a new step in the development of automobile transport because their appearance is only a matter of time. Considerable advantages outweigh the risks, and one can conclude that unmanned transport is the necessary stage of progress to improve people’s lives.
Works Cited
Lal, Anish. “Deep Learning Models for Object Detection in Self-Driven Cars.” Integrating Deep Learning Algorithms to Overcome Challenges in Big Data Analytics. CRC Press, 2021, pp. 17-38.
Robert, Lionel. “Are Automated Vehicles Safer than Manually Driven Cars?.” AI & Society, vol. 34, no. 3, 2019, pp. 687-688.