Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated a recall for Teslas with full self-driving technology. While the feature required drivers to be somewhat attentive at the wheel, the NHTSA noted several safety concerns; for example, the vehicle would drive straight through intersections in turn-only lanes and would perform a rolling stop at stop signs. Tesla’s recall proves concerns and issues with full self-driving features remain, despite the advancement of technology.
In 1995, the first successful self-driving car was unveiled in San Francisco. Spectators were utterly mesmerized by the new invention, though unaware of the controversies that would later arise.
Self-driving cars are highly transformative when considering the safety, environmental, and economic needs of today’s society. For instance, self-driving cars can reduce the number of accidents by eliminating human error. The annual cost for accidents in America is precisely 836 billion dollars. However, if automated driving can reduce accidents by up to 90 percent, then the amount would be reduced to 84 billion dollars. Self-driving cars are also a crucial part of improving mobility for people who may not be able to drive due to disability. These cars can also park themselves, increasing the efficiency of transportation.
However, there are several concerns regarding the safety, privacy, loss of jobs, and potential for technology failures that can come with full self-driving. Although these cars may seem revolutionary, it is important to recognize the current limits of the technology and if it is truly advanced enough to prevent accidents. Minor failures in the engineering of the car could lead to serious consequences.
Furthermore, there are approximately 3.6 million truck drivers in the United States. This creates several concerns about how self-driving cars would affect the job stability of many Americans. In addition to truck drivers, there are also many other transportation services like taxis, buses, and Uber/Lyft drivers who may be negatively impacted by the use of self-driving cars.
Regarding safety, self-driving cars have yet to fully imitate a human driver’s ability to make split-second decisions in dangerous or unpredictable conditions. Technological failures with an inattentive driver could result in avoidable accidents.