4 Reasons To Be Excited About Driverless Vehicles

While tech giants continue to make headway on self-driving technology, there are still many regulatory hurdles to jump before driverless vehicles ever become a full-fledged reality. The trepidation around the idea is understandable because a genuinely autonomous vehicle will not require human input while operating, making many people nervous. 

The journey toward actual driverless vehicles has not been without its bumps. News stories highlighting Tesla failures or Google car mistakes seem to gather national attention despite the real culprits in the stories.  

Still, despite the developmental growing pangs expected of every new program, driverless vehicles seem on the cusp of development. While some people are worried about the seeming sci-fi evolution, others are excited, and there are many reasons to be excited.

1. Money

As with any other new device or piece of technology, driverless cars are bound to be expensive initially. Fortunately, as with other energy-efficient products, these vehicles will also save you money in the long run.  

Without human input, driverless vehicles can maintain optimum performance. By removing the human driver's unpredictable component, autonomous vehicles can eliminate unknown variables in the design. For instance, a human operator with a lead foot will exert tremendous pressure and abuse on a vehicle's engine and components. Alternatively, a driverless car will only act as programmed, thereby providing more accurate predictions of wear and tear and maintenance, saving money and prolonging vehicle life.

2. Safety

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attributes over 90% of automotive accidents to driver error. As the industry moves toward self-driving technology and eventually fully autonomous vehicles, the prediction is fewer accidents. 

Because driverless vehicles will rely on computers, analytical reasoning, cameras, sensors, and radars, the hypothesis is most accidents can be averted. By removing human error from the equation, the vehicle is capable of optimum performance. Regulatory bodies and pedestrians will no longer need to worry about driver distraction, alcohol or drug impairment, and any number of other human mistakes that lead to accidents. Roads will be safer.

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3. Efficiency

While there is no doubt driverless vehicles will improve fuel economy, they will also improve roadway efficiency. Traffic congestion is mainly a result of human error. By transferring control to a computer, roadway congestion might become a thing of the past. Beyond the avoidance of developing traffic jams, deliberative architecture in self-driving cars means the vehicle is continuously processing roadway information, resulting in perceptive reasoning and delay avoidance. 

As driverless vehicles become a reality, society will likely see a phasing out of traffic signs and signals. As autonomous vehicles and intersections become a reality, the prospect of a perfectly efficient roadway becomes a possibility.

4. Productivity

Nearly an hour per day is spent commuting to and from work. In 2014, it was estimated that Americans spent a total of 29.6 billion hours commuting. Imagine the things you could accomplish with an extra hour in your day. 

While many people already experience the productive benefits of working while commuting because they take the train, bus, or cab to work, countless others can feel like they are always behind because of traffic delays and the added stress of a commute. 

Autonomous vehicles would allow people to get some things accomplished on the way to work. Even if you do not want to work on your way to the office or an appointment, you can take a nap or meditate. There are so many physical and mental benefits to self-driving vehicles. 

What do you think about the evolution of the self-driving car? Is it a good thing, or is it a bad idea? Comment below.