Autonomous Drivers

    Driverless vehicles, or the self-driving car, is defined as any car with features that allow it to accelerate, brake, and steer a car’s course with limited or no driver interaction (BI Intelligence par.4). When most people hear the term “driverless vehicle”, people instantly think cars that drive all by themselves, meaning that the vehicles are able to completely control themselves while the driver can sit back in the driver’s seat as if they were the passenger. The reality is that it will actually be a few years before fully self-automated vehicles will make their debut on the road, but for now the car companies and manufacturers are adding self-driving features of the latest models of cars. For example, the 2016 BMW i3 has the capability to self-park itself without the need of the driver to control the steering wheel. This reduces the risk of the driver hitting another vehicle while

A large portion of the population depends heavily on vehicles to get them to their desired destinations which is why cars are a huge part of our everyday lives. However, human drivers make poor decisions that compromise safety and result in numerous injuries and fatalities. Safety concerns are of great importance, and AVs are the ideal solution for addressing these concerns, as the technology within these vehicles are highly complex and promote safer driving. In order to understand just how much this technology can help improve road safety, it is first important to understand just how large a risk human drivers pose to road safety.

Imagine being able to get into your car and simply typing in your desired destination, and then reclining your seat to watch a movie or text a friend. During this time, the car is basically driving itself. Well, soon this may be possible this invention is called an autonomous car. An autonomous car, or driverless/ robotic car, is a car that is designed to drive without human interference. Essentially, drivers can program their destination into the car’s GPS system and then sit back and relax. Some of the world’s largest car companies are currently creating autonomous vehicles, such as Audi, Toyota, Volvo, Mercedes, and countless others. The driverless vehicle is now becoming a clearer and more present reality, and has been discussed and planned for decades. The autonomous vehicle offers significant benefits, but raises many questions and difficulties.

Right now self-driving cars and trucks are hitting the road and will soon be available to the general market . Major companies like Google, Tesla, Uber and Delphi are leading in autonomous cars industry. In the past few years, these companies have made great strides improving this technology. Addressing the concerns for this technology must be concluded before it reaches the general public. Given the current state of automobiles that don’t need drivers the American consumer needs to be mindful that moral decisions this technology is handling puts them at risk due to the fact that this is emerging technology, laws are being made that will shape this technology, and who is choosing who lives and who dies.

First driverless cars are much less likely to crash. In fact “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that between 93 percent and 95 percent of car accidents are caused by human error” (par. 5, Tribune). This study displays

“Ninety percent of our road accidents are related to bad driving behavior; driving recklessly and speeding under the influence of alcohol, changing lanes without signaling, driving on the hard shoulder and passing through red lights.” -Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Commander in chief of the Dubai Police (Olarte, 2011). The majority of car crashes are caused by human errors, and if this proposition is implemented, the number of fatalities due to car accidents per year will dramatically plummet. In 2012, a Google driverless car had driven over 300,000 miles, with only two accidents being reported, both of which had been a human’s fault (Emerson, 2012). Autonomous cars will have quicker reflexes than humans, make more reliable judgments and will not commit silly mistakes such as texting whilst driving. As a collateral for reducing accidents, this innovation could theoretically also save the government trillions of dollars each year.

Similarly, the article “The Moral Challenges of Driverless Cars” explains how driverless cars will be a safer alternative. It explains how humans are more prone to cause an accident than the driverless cars. The article describes the processing behind the vehicles and some problems they face while making them along with how this will delay their production. It also clarifies how the cars will be able to make the decisions that will keep people safe instead of putting them in harm’s way. Finally, the article describes the ethical issues and automation in cars today. According to Kirkpatrick, the cars are equipped with software that determine what reaction to make in different situations that would take a human more time to make, therefore, avoiding an accident. As stated in this article, there is still much work to be done before the cars are actually ready to sell to the public.

Computers are already trusted to keep our cars from slipping and prevent wheels from locking up. Using computers to drive us around is a logical next step to take as the technology matures. As the industry advances, driverless cars will revolutionize life and make travel safer. Drunk driving can be eliminated as computers can take over for intoxicated humans. Elderly people will be able to move about as they please, without special assistance. As these systems become more advanced, and reliable, productivity will increase as less time is spent in traffic jams. According to USA Today, deaths from car accidents cost society nearly 900 billion a year. As driverless cars become more affordable, and better drivers then humans, the annual cost to society will decrease. As the lives saved by this technology will save millions of dollars in medical treatment, and keep healthy people out of the hospital and reduce the strain on emergency services from preventable

The primary concern with transportation is safety; hence the most obvious and largest benefit to the replacement of regular cars with self-driving cars is the decrease in traffic collisions. “Ninety percent of our road accidents are related to bad driving behavior; driving recklessly and speeding under the influence of alcohol, changing lanes without signaling, driving on the hard shoulder and passing through red lights.” -Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Commander in chief of the Dubai Police (Olarte, 2011). The majority of car crashes is caused by human errors, and if this proposition is implemented, the number of fatalities due to car accidents per year will dramatically plummet. In 2012, a Google driverless car had driven over 300,000 miles, with only two accidents being reported, both of which had been a human’s fault (Emerson, 2012). Autonomous cars will have quicker reflexes than humans, make more reliable judgments and will not commit silly mistakes such as texting whilst driving. As a collateral for reducing accidents, this innovation could theoretically also save the government

Many accidents are also caused by the driver’s inattentiveness or slow reaction time. Many cars with brands like Tesla, BMW and Audi already have self-driving assistance. This feature allows cars to maintain speed making it a more emissive

Passing their test and getting their driving license, is a rite of passage for every teen. Unfortunately, it is a perilous one as teens are at such a high risk for automobile accidents. Adults who are on the road with them are at risk as well. Driving is the most dangerous way to travel and yet most Americans’ commute daily to their jobs. Self-driving vehicles may be the answer to this problem. Self-driving automobiles make one feel as if they are stepping into the future. It is a new technology that manufacturers are still perfecting. No one likes change, and most American’s are afraid of riding in a driverless vehicle. However, automobile accidents are the number one killer of teens and self-driving cars could save lives.

According to a survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Agency, 94 percent of light vehicle crashes between 2005 and 2007 were attributed to driver-related errors (Singh, 2015, p.1). Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of these errors were traced to inattention, distractions, and improper vigilance (Singh, 2015, p.2). This data not only reinforces the argument that human involvement is the most dangerous aspect of driving, but it also provides a good estimate of the number of accidents that could be prevented by competent self-driving

In the recent years, the United States government has been enforcing stricter mandates on auto manufacturers to create safer vehicles, and on construction companies to create safer roadways. Matthew Jensen wrote a dissertation for the Graduate School of Clemson University titled, A Methodology for the Analysis of In-vehicle Operating Data and Design of Intelligent Vehicle Systems for Improved Automotive Safety. In his abstract, Jensen evaluated the future of vehicle manufacturing and traffic-related incidents. Of course, every year more vehicles are manufactured, which in theory means the number of miles driven in vehicles increases. He points out how the World Health Organization (WHO) found that automobile crashes was the ninth

As the idea of driverless cars becomes more of a reality, many debate whether it’s the right choice to incorporate into everyday life. The pros of driverless cars is their efficiency in travel, the cons are their deficiency in computing. The cons of a self-driving car is too crucial to accept, unless they are fixed. Despite the somewhat competent capabilities of a driverless car, humans are also seen as a leading cause of accidents. Driverless cars are not 100% road compatible yet

One of the major incentives for developing autonomous vehicles is the potential impact on vehicle safety. In 2009, there were 10.8 million motor vehicle accidents in the US, resulting in 35,900 deaths (Census 2012). It’s estimated that over 90% of all accidents are due to