As nearly all car crashes particularly fatal ones are caused by human driver error, driverless cars would effectively eliminate nearly all hazards associated with driving as well as driver fatalities and injuries travelling by car is currently one of the most deadly forms of transportation, with over a million deaths annually worldwide. This would be especially helpful to people that drive to bars and inebriate themselves; the ability for a car to shuttle them home would practically eliminate drunk driving crashes.
Having the equivalent of a personal chauffeur would be a great convenience:
- Time spent commuting could be used for work, leisure, or rest.
- Parking in difficult areas becomes less of a concern as the car can park itself away from a busy airport, for example, and come back when called on a cell-phone.
- Taxiing children to school, activities and friends would become solely a matter of granting permission for the car to handle the child’s request.
- Allow the visually and otherwise impaired to travel independently.
- One could sleep overnight during long road trips.
A driverless car would also be a boon to economic efficiency, as cars can be made lighter and more space efficient with the absence of some of the safety technologies rendered redundant with computerized driving. Also the technology would make transportation more efficient and reliable: there may be autonomous or remote-controlled delivery trucks dispatched around the clock to pick up and deliver goods. Moreover, driverless cars would reduce traffic congestion by allowing cars to travel faster and closer together.
Driverless car – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
My mom and I just discussed buying a car, for me. I know it won’t happen but it’s a small step. :)
