Self Driving Cars
My thoughts
Self driving cars, though not quite on the roads yet, seem to be the future of transportation. Automobile makers and tech giants, rideshare companies, and all kinds of other businesses are constantly scheming up new ideas and innovations for this futuristic car. Self driving cars have stirred up controversy, and will continue to bring more and more debatable issues to the table as time goes on. In this article, I will address some of these issues and provide my opinion on these topics.
Self driving cars have created a major dilemma affecting safety and human rights. In the event that a self driving car injures a pedestrian or another driver, who should be blamed? The car company or software developer? The driver? I believe that the "driver" of the car should be put at fault in a situation like this. When one gets into a car, they should understand that it is a privilege that can have negative consequences if abused. In 2015, almost 400,000 injuries took place due to distracted driving. When behind the wheel, regardless of whether the car is driving itself or not, the driver should have some level of engagement with the car and its surroundings. This way, in the event that an accident is to take place, or a tough decision needs to be made, the driver can use his or her human senses to prevent the accident or make the decision. With the powerful software found in the car, and human judgement, accidents should decline. So, if an accident were to take place, the probable cause would be a driver not paying attention to the road and relying on the car to do the work. Therefore, depending on the circumstances, a driver should take all or at least some of the blame in the event of an accident.
What about car insurance? With the future of self-driving cars so far away, this question has rarely been considered. If insurance companies mainly base rates upon a driver's record and safety one the road, how will insurance rates be determined with self driving cars? I think that insurance rates should still have some basis upon a driver's reputation, as I believe (mentioned previously) that the driver still has some responsibility when riding in the car. But, the insurance company could instead focus their rates more on the type of car and/or the routes that the car is traveling on. This will give insurance companies an idea of how often the consumer will need to file insurance claims and will allow the insurance companies to select fitting rates.
Finally, what will happen to those who enjoy cars and driving? I personally have a passion for cars, and would enjoy driving. Would there be new laws for humans interacting with the autonomous vehicles? I think that the current regulations are enough to keep order. The speed limit would be in place to prevent real drivers from taking advantage of their full control of the car. Current traffic laws would also prevent anarchy on the streets. But, as self driving cars may create new traffic patterns, more rules would have to come along to control the traffic flow and keep roads safe. Then, there is the possibility of actually driving a car becoming illegal...
Self driving cars have lots of potential. If the society manages work correctly, traffic jams could possibly be eliminated, the roads could be much safer, and automobiles could be much more environmentally friendly. But, new debates will consistently return, and the laws and society will have to quickly and continuously adapt to these changes.
Sources:
https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/self-driving-cars-16-key-questions-surrounding-aut-261146
https://futurism.com/who-responsible-when-self-driving-car-accident
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