When compared to the plethora of poor driving habits a human driver may exhibit when behind the wheel, an automatic car can seem like the ideal motorist. Statistics indicate that approximately 81% of all car accidents are the result of human error; therefore, it would make sense to apply computer logic and eliminate a large portion of the danger from roads. In fact, almost all danger would be eliminated with self-driving car because computers cannot become ‘distracted’ and this is one of the major reasons for car accidents.
When determining the appropriate stopping distance from another vehicle or at the end of the street, computers allegedly have a downfall by not having any human interaction. The fact is that the software using complicated algorithms to identify the appropriate distance and decrease the chance of being ‘too close’ or losing control of the car. It is unclear to what extent lives would be saved, but it is obvious that a human-driven vehicle is, thus far, more costly in terms of danger.
Believe it or not, the US Department of Transportation assigns a specific value to each human life -- $9.2 million as of 2016. This means that any cost savings in vehicle- related industries, such as car insurance and health care costs, will reduce the accident recovery costs significantly.
According to an article from Forbes, cost saving can also be associated with time spent in the vehicle. When a computing system takes the driving responsibilities, it is possible for drivers to enjoy other activities without being concerned about road safety. Perhaps the passenger could enjoy conversation with other companions or catch up on work they need to do before attending a meeting.
Eno Transportation reported that the use of automatic cars in large numbers will result in a behavior called ‘platooning’. ‘Platooning’ would, according to the organization, significantly improve the issue of traffic on the roads and deal with congestion in an orderly way. This is beneficial because it will reduce commuting times for travellers in high-traffic regions, as well as maximizing on the use of gasoline. For vehicles to operate most effectively, it is necessary for them to communicate with one another identifying any traffic problems early on.
According to Intelligentcarleasing.com using automatic vehicles can also benefit specialized individuals in the population. According to the New York Times, disabled and elderly individuals will no longer need to rely on public transportation and will be able to enjoy enhanced mobility with self-driving car. Furthermore, larger cities where the public transportation is a problem will find it easier to meet the needs of their residents without having to construct suitable infrastructure for transportation facilities. Self-driving car will be able to transport individuals from one area to another without difficulty.
Speed limits have been considered a problem for years, but with automatic cars this will no longer be an issue. The software calibration will identify the speeds allowed on the road and calculate the operation of the vehicle using those particular algorithms.
The majority of companies who are looking forward to new technology are indicated by businesses requesting permits for self-driving vehicles. Many vehicles are available equipped with automatic driving features, such as autonomous braking and self-parking; however, these are not within the price range of the layman with the average salary. The overall self-driving vehicle will only be within the price range of larger companies; hence why larger industries are interested in the investment.
Law enforcement will be pleased to hear of self-driving vehicles. No longer will they be focused on writing traffic tickets, parking tickets or handling car accidents -- all of this will be dealt with using software. Now, the police officer will be able to deal with more serious criminal offences and help keep the community safer.