SPI President & CEO Mary Scott Nabers
High-definition color television with streaming video anytime we feel like watching? Cordless phones that follow commands? Robots that perform surgery? Global networks linking billions of electronic devices throughout the world? What’s next?
Driverless cars – of course!
Just last week, the United Kingdom approved the testing on public roads of driverless, or autonomous, cars. And the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai recently commissioned a study on the feasibility of using driverless cars in that country. The United States, of course, is also in the development mix.
Autonomous vehicles are being tested by Google, Carnegie Mellon University and auto companies that include Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Tesla, Ford and Nissan. A few American cities have approved testing the cars on roadways. Such activity is happening in Nevada, California, Florida, Michigan and the District of Columbia.
Most developers say the vehicles are only a few years away from being market-ready and they tout many benefits. Perhaps the most interesting predictions are that driverless cars will reduce traffic congestion, lessen the number of automobile accidents and reduce the cost of road repair.
There’s a speed bump though. It’s called regulation.The U.S. Congress has a big role to play. Elected officials will determine what technology will be allowed and what won’t. Since Congress rarely moves quickly, and decisions related to driverless cars will be significant, the timeline for seeing these vehicles on roadways may be delayed.
Much of the technology being standardized for driverless vehicles is already being used in connected cars which are equipped with Internet access and technology linking to the Internet. Connected cars provide drivers immediate notification of nearby accidents, safety alerts if the vehicle is speeding and visual and sound assistance when backing is required. A connected car’s technology also tracks the vehicle’s operation and maintenance and provides an enhanced driving experience. Some cars self-park and automatically brake to avoid collisions.
Always a step ahead, California has already issued regulations for autonomous vehicles. State leaders are currently working on the next step – setting regulations for operators of the vehicles so that researchers can test the new technology lawfully on state roads.
A University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute report states that driverless cars may change a family’s automotive needs. For instance, with driverless cars, a family could rely more on only one vehicle. A comprehensive study of driving habits of families with multiple vehicles shows that nearly 85 percent of these households had no trips that overlapped or conflicted. The need for multiple cars might be eliminated if a driverless car could ferry one passenger to a destination and then return to pick up another family member who needed to go to another location.
Experts say that because bike sharing programs have been successful, there could be the same kind of success with driverless cars. If more people shared driverless vehicles, it would definitely affect governmental budgets. The result would be fewer road repairs, less traffic congestion and a reduction in air pollution.
Don’t expect teenagers to willingly give up their desire for a car because a report says multiple vehicles for families are no longer a necessity. But, just like color TVs, cell phones and the Internet, this seemingly impossible technology is on a very fast track. Who knows how we will travel to work and school and on trips in the very near future? It’s probably best not to write off driverless cars!