Can Automated Cars Really Be Mass Adopted?
If you haven’t heard about automated cars, you haven’t been paying attention. The idea was first made mainstream by Tesla, who touted it as one of their biggest selling features. But since then, the tech has quickly been getting adopted, and integrated into other models. BMW, Nissan, Ford, General Motors, and more have all adopted the technology to some extent.
Though, the technology now is only semi-automated, offering some level of self-driving ability. But speculations are already running rampant as to when a fully automated car will be introduced. It seems inevitable, and that the technology will soon dominate that automobile industry around the world.
Or will it? Can automated cars be widely adopted, or is it a matter of the technology being destined for a niche market?
The Benefits
It doesn’t take much to understand, or appreciate, the benefits of a car that drives itself. What could be better than punching in a destination, sitting back, playing at online gambling casinos in NZ, and letting the car do the driving? It is a prospect so inviting that everyone will want to jump on board.
As it stands, researchers are yet to declare that an automated vehicle is safer than one driven by a human. But predictions are that, even with some automated systems already involved in mishaps, that they are still around 10% safer than a human driver. But this has yet to be established, or backed up with reliable data.
So convenience and safety are the two biggest benefits.
The Cons
Viral videos are rampant, showing drivers asleep behind the wheel, while the car operates itself. This has gained widespread attention, but only because it has been explicitly stated by manufacturers that the driver should always be on standby to take over, given that the systems are not yet fully reliable. A driver may have to take over at short notice, if the vehicle gets into a situation where it can no longer manage the situation.
Additionally, automated cars are also limited in a number of areas. Lane changing capability, for example, has only been recently added to the most advanced Tesla models. It has also been explained that in order for the AI to operate effectively, things like clear lane designation lines are best, and obstacles such as potholes or other debris in the road are still a serious problem.
So given the limitations, and the costs involved, are most eager to snap up this cutting edge, yet still not fully developed, technological leap forward?
It Remains To Be Seen
As it stands, very few people own vehicles with automation capabilities, but the adoption rate has been fairly rapid. It would seem like the integration of the tech into all cars, maybe even Formula One would be a standard leap forward, but that really does remain to be seen.
At the moment it seems like most manufacturers are reluctant to adopt the systems broadly into all their models, given the still major levels of mistrust from consumers, and the general costs involved. Even if mass adoption does occur, it will likely still be decades before the tech becomes the standard.
