Only three years ago, it seemed not realistic that driverless cars could practically be used within one decade. Autonomous cars are very handy: you won’t get any speed tickets, because the system shall abide by the rules and regulations. You can watch your favorite series/movies. Next to that, it looks awesome! The autonomous part about cars is not that innovative anymore. AI has made humans much more aware about the ability that robots will take over the future, in due time. In the meantime, let’s have a blast. We see much more automobile companies introducing cars that will gradually become totally independent of humans.
Yesterday, Tesla presented a video that showed how their Model X car autonomously navigate through an urban area. The car was able to leave the garage and bring the owner to his work. This ride included traffic, highway lanes and traffic regulations. The car had even recognized the disabled parking spot and parked the car somewhere else. A cool feature is the Summon button. Once pressed, the car will pick you up no matter where you are. In the future all the Tesla cars will have a built-in self-drive function
We saw the developments regarding autonomous vehicles as a fun and spectacular thing, but it is so much more. In the (near) future it will not be seen as an accessory but as a part of mobility. While incorporating this into society, we should also look at the implications this has. The first thing that popped up in my mind when thinking about an autonomous vehicles was safety. How can they ensure that no accidents occur? Well, they can’t yet. However, this is also not possible with regular vehicles and they are still looking for solutions to diminish this.
The automobile industry is evolving and this has been a disruptive technology for the sector. Rules and regulations are being looked at and some are changed worldwide. Robots make a better world than we do. In the end, they will also create a world without having the possibility to drink and drive.
References:
http://mashable.com/2016/10/19/tesla-elon-musk-announcement/#jDq5TpvzUqqs
https://www.wired.com/2015/05/google-wants-eliminate-human-driving-5-years/