Google has recently announced a strong interest in creating a self-driving car. Google are not expanding into the automotive industry, rather, they are focusing on creating the software to control the vehicles, and many of the world’s automotive giants have expressed a cautious interest in the idea. Self-drive cars are already legal in three US states, and other states and countries are waiting eagerly, not wanting to commit to the idea until there is a bit more data on the subject.

Against

A lot of current drivers are completely against the idea, not wanting to relinquish control of their vehicle to a machine. There is a feeling that the computer will not be able to cope with sudden emergency situations, and that this may lead to minor incidents becoming serious ones.

There is also a hint of technophobia too, amongst the dissenters; those who fear that their car will be remotely accessed and made to crash or drive off the road by hackers with malicious intentions. There is a fear of what will happen if the computer driving the car encounters difficulty and ‘hangs’, or stops functioning and needs to reboot, while in full rush hour traffic on the motorway.

A final, and rather more understandable, reason for not welcoming the advent of the autonomous vehicle is that some people enjoy driving. They love their cars, keep them well-maintained and clean, and positively enjoy the experience of going out for a drive, as opposed to using the vehicle simply as a mode of transportation.

For

The biggest plus of having a self-drive car is that it makes the morning and evening commute a time for getting something done, checking and replying emails, responding to text messages, or even getting caught up with some work. Those who are still tired or even hung-over from excessive alcohol consumption the night before, can even take the time for a quick nap.

Technophiles believe that the computers sensors will be more sensitive and faster to react than a human’s eyes and hands could ever be, thereby guaranteeing greater safety for passengers.

A self-drive car will always operate at 100 per cent capability, unlike humans who get tired, distracted, irritated or angry, leading them to make poor decisions in the heat of the moment.

Autonomous vehicles could mean that no-one will have to get a licence by the year 2040! This means that anyone who wants a vehicle could simply pop out and buy one, spend a short time reading the instruction manual and be ready to go.

Taking the human element out of driving could mean a dramatic reduction in the number of automobile accidents that occur annually. Up to 90 per cent of all accidents today are down to human error, which means that a huge proportion of them need not have happened had the vehicles been self-drive models. Teenagers and especially young men tend to have the highest accident rate, a statistic that causes great worry and alarm in their parents. Knowing that the vehicle will bring their children home safely, no matter their physical state, could be a huge relief to parents all over the world!

Finally, it might be possible to send the car out to do the errands without needing to go along! If the software becomes sufficiently advanced, and retailers are willing to adapt, people could conceivably send the car out to collect pre-ordered takeaways, the children from school or activities and even the weekly groceries from the supermarket!

Would I use a self-drive car? As a non-driver who has never really applied for a licence, not because I lack in confidence in my own abilities, but rather because I have seen too many people suffer accidents due to the carelessness, stupidity or intoxication of others; the answer has to be a resounding, ‘Oh, yes!’ I would adore the freedom a self-drive vehicle would offer, being able to go out and about as I require without needing to call a taxi, or wait for my spouse or friends to drive me. A sobering statistic finds that drivers tend to overestimate their own driving skills, feeling that they can cope in situations which, when tested, it is discovered that they cannot. I am a technophile, thoroughly enjoying the current wave of ever-more sophisticated gadgetry that is released almost daily, and I am now looking forward to, and am very excited about, the possibilities opened up by an autonomous vehicle.

About This Post: Provided by Nononsense Car Insurance. Visit www.nononsense.ie for more information.

Image Credit: jurvetson