If you’re up to date on your technology advances, then you’ll know that driverless cars have been in the works for many years. On paper, the idea behind a driverless car is extremely appealing. You don’t have to drive yourself to work every morning, those who are blind or disabled will be able to utilize the technology, and, in theory, it should also reduce the number of crashes on the roads. However, we’ve watched enough sci-fi movies to know that we shouldn’t put all of our trust into artificial intelligence. So, are self-driving cars really safe to drive just yet?
Taking Away Human Error
Have you ever been involved in a car crash? If you have, it may be that you found yourself in a sticky situation due to human error – whether that be your own error, or somebody else’s. Human error causes around 90% of car crashes in the United States, and this fact begs a few questions. Most importantly: If we remove humans from the situation, will the roads be safer? Scientists working on driverless cars believe this to be safe. Instead of relying on our own reflexes, our own movements, and our actions, we can rely on algorithms and artificial intelligence instead.
Not Perfect
However, it’s important to realize that driverless cars aren’t perfect. Prototypes of these cars have made their into the world over the past few years, and some tests have provided incredible results, while others not so much. In fact, there have been various crashes involving these cars. This is largely because technology takes out many human aspects, including the fact that humans can make split-second decisions when something comes in their way. For AI technology, this is much harder.
Are They Safe?
So, are they safe? Scientists seem to think that they are safer than humans driving cars, but there’s no doubt about the fact that tests still need to be undertaken. There are many states that do not allow driverless cars on the road, and this makes it impossible to know what they will be like in real-life situations. However, by doing that, you put people at risk. Because of this, there needs to be more research and research that will not put anyone in danger.
Would you consider buying a driverless car?