The time is not far when we will see self-driving cars on roads. But before we actually enter the era of self-driven vehicles, we need to know the nitty-gritties.
Lindsey Patterson
A self-driving car may bring images of auto show concept cars or science-fiction films to mind, but with recent advances made in the automobile industry, it's not surprising that car manufacturers have progressed toward building vehicles that run on autopilot.
Imagine the comfort and convenience of planning a long road trip where you'll just sit back and let your car do the driving for you. It might seem like a luxury item now, but it's worth considering how the advent of autonomous cars will change driving and transportation standards across the board.
Auto-makers are already offering self-driving functionality
In fact, there are already a few semi-autonomous vehicles currently on the consumer market. Mercedes-Benz S65 has driver assistance features that allow the vehicle to self-steer for about 12 seconds before it alerts the driver to regain control of the steering wheel. The driver can reset the 12 second time limit by quickly manoeuvring the wheel.
A 2016 model BMW, the 750i xDrive, offers features similar to the Mercedes-Benz model, in which the driver can opt for hands-free driving, which lasts roughly 10 seconds before self-guidance is suspended if the driver doesn't make contact with the wheel.
The Tesla Model S P85D took it one step further with its Autopilot features, which boasts longer hands-free driving, more efficient lane-tracking, and unrivalled lane changing capabilities. While it is currently a luxury to have a self-driving vehicle, it's seems that car autonomy will become commonplace over the next several years.
Driver will become the passenger
American automaker Ford plans to release a self-driving car by 2021. The car will not be equipped with a steering wheel, gas pedal, or brake pedal. It will be mass-produced and available to consumers.
A vehicle that is fully capable of self-driving, will transition the driver into the passenger role. Not only will this change how people travel, but it could certainly change the platform of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft as well, by removing the need for driver intervention.
Many people may be concerned about the safety of autonomous vehicles, but as Google advances through its Self-Driving Car Project, it explains that 94 percent of traffic accidents in the US are directly related to human error.
A change is on the horizon for auto insurance companies
Analysts expect that a self-driving car has the potential to decrease such accidents dramatically. This could bring many changes to car insurance rates and auto coverage. The Los Angeles Times reports that Allstate Corp. Chairman, Thomas Wilson, said that autonomous cars could have "the most detrimental impact on auto insurance."
Auto policies should experience new developments as auto insurance companies try to determine new standards for liability and driver responsibility. Insurance will still be necessary. People will need to protect their vehicles from theft and accidents, especially considering that the introduction of self-driving cars will be a gradual process.
As self-driving cars start hitting the roads in the next several years, it is likely that they will be sharing the road with vehicles that are still operated under traditional driving methods. So it may be a while before auto insurance rates and policies make any significant changes.
Many people may have forecasted that the automobile industry was headed toward self-driving cars. Especially with new features like brake-assist, parking assist, and blind spot monitoring becoming available as standard options or upgrades.
There are numerous companies like Google, Toyota, Ford, and Lyft that have been testing and developing self-driving car technology for years now. While it will take a few years before self-driving cars become mainstream, and fully-capable of autonomy, it will be a total transformation for the automobile industry.
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