For many years, driving a car with no human help has been considered a plot of a science-fiction movie, and people could not dream of self-driving cars. However, a decade ago, mane breakthroughs have been recorded in the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), which is a constantly learning neural network capable of imitating human behavior. As a result, in the 2010s, developers such as Tesla and Google promised people to develop mechanisms that would make cars completely driverless (Piper). Currently, there are no examples of self-driving cars because all automated vehicles still need human control and assistance. Essentially, there are many reasons that support the idea that the introduction of driverless cars would be beneficial for society because of convenience and safety.
To begin with, driverless cars are extremely efficient and save much time for car owners. According to the statistics, Americans spend almost eighty-four billion hours driving each year and take two or three car trips every day (Steele). For this reason, people can only imagine how much time they could save if they did not have to spend it on the road. Moreover, driverless cars that operate without human help do not rely on people’s schedules. For this reason, it would no longer be necessary to plan a day in such a way that people could drive and pick somebody up on time, as the cars might do it without them.
Another significant benefit of driverless cars is safety. First, it is estimated that more than 90% of car accidents happen because of human errors (“Driverless cars”). For example, a lot of accidents happen because people break the law and drink while driving. As a result, they are not fully responsible for their actions, and such irresponsible behavior leads to disastrous results. There would be no such problems with driverless cars, as the cars are operated by programmed machines that cannot act in such a manner. Another significant issue is the fact that some people find it hard to concentrate on driving. For instance, people frequently text when driving, and they become distracted. According to the research, people who spend much time on social media have a small attention span, which means the person’s ability to concentrate on one task (He). Driverless cars are programmed to focus on the road, and they are physically incapable of performing any other task while driving to ensure safety.
The next advantage of creating a fully automated car is accessibility. There are many people who cannot obtain a car because they have limited physical abilities and are incompetent for driving. For example, older adults or people with disabilities find it hard to operate a vehicle by themselves, and, as a result, they do not drive cars even if there is a strong need for transportation. Driverless vehicles may become a solution in this case, as it does not matter if a person has certain health issues or disabilities.
Finally, automated vehicles are cost-efficient because they help people avoid many consequences that require money. When dome drivers think that being a driverless car would be very expensive, they do not think about how much they could save in the long run. It was mentioned previously that automated cars secure fewer car accidents and crashes. As a result, people will spend less money on paying for car services and medical bills. Moreover, they will not require expensive insurance because the probability of crashes will be extremely low.
However, despite all the benefits, it is necessary to mention that the implementation of driverless cars also has its drawbacks and barriers that stop them from mass use nowadays. First, while driverless cars are programmed to sense the road in order to drive, such cars are mostly designed for the roads in good condition (Piper). Thus, it is hard to imagine that driverless cars could operate in suburban areas where roads are in poor condition. However, such an argument against driverless cars can be refuted because technology is constantly developing, and this obstacle can be removed with more effort from scientists.
Another significant problem people discuss when talking of self-driving cars is the fact that current driving laws are not suitable for such types of vehicles, as they are designed for human drivers (Dia). Indeed, the existing regulations for driving do not include laws for automated cars in many countries. However, once these cars become more popular with drivers, governments will have no other choice but to accept new laws for automated driving.
Considering all the facts above, it may be concluded that the existing disadvantages of driverless cars can be easily resolved if people become more engaged in using such cars on a daily basis. The advantages of self-driving cars, on the other hand, are beneficial for the community, as they promise a future of fewer car accidents, careful driving, comfort, and lower costs for car service. For this reason, the use of driverless cars is a great option for drivers, and companies should invest more money in their development and promotion.
Works Cited
“Driverless Cars: The Benefits and What it Means for the Future of Mobility.” NRMA.
Dia, Hussein. “’Self-Driving’ Cars Are Still a Long Way Off. Here Are Three Reasons Why.” The Conversation.
He, Barry. “Social Media Multitasking Could Affect Attention Span.” China Daily.
Piper, Kelsey. “It’s 2020. Where Are our Self-Regulating Cars?” Vox.
Steele, Lauren. “How Much Time Do Americans Spend in Their Cars?” Fatherly.