Self-driving cars are expected to be the future of transportation and reduce accidents and injury.
Last week, the California DMV officially issued the first permit to test self-driving cars on public roads in our state. The lucky manufacturer that received this first permit was Audi, but many other manufacturers are expected to follow. Ever since the announcement of the Google car, self-driving cars have been touted by many as the future of transportation. According to proponents of the technology, any type of automated assistance will be better than a human driver alone. Here are some examples of self-driving technologies currently being explored and their safety implications:
- Automatic parallel parking: Cars with this feature are actually already on the market. While the chance of a serious injury at parallel parking speeds are slim indeed, the technology is nonetheless helping to prevent minor dings and dents.
- Distronic Plus: Mercedes Benz already has “Distronic Plus” self-driving features available in some of its models. This technology helps the car stay in its lane if the driver takes his or her eyes off the road for a few seconds. It can also help detect cars swerving out of their lanes and into the car’s path and adjust as needed to avoid collisions.
- Super Cruise: GM plans to introduce a package of features known as “Super Cruise” in its 2017 Cadillac line. Vehicles with this package will be able to drive in a partial autopilot mode. For example, radar or laser sensors will be used to help the car gauge the distance between itself and other cars in traffic and adjust speed accordingly. This should help reduce the sort of rear end accidents that are all too common in LA area traffic.
Self-Driving Cars and Liability
With the above features already in production, you might wonder what exactly Audi is testing with its newly acquired permit. The difference is that with the above features, automakers are not calling the cars self-driving, but rather assisted driving. They are careful to warn drivers to keep their hands on the wheel at all times in order to help shift liability for any car accidents that do occur away from themselves and back onto the driver. It will be interesting to watch developments in this area, because as of yet there is no standard as to who will be accountable for accidents involving self-driving cars the driver or the manufacturer, or both?
