It’s projected that the self-driving car market will grow to 62.4 million units by 2030. As technology improves and becomes more accessible, many more people are interested in the freedom that autonomous cars might bring.
But since they’re still relatively new, most people don’t know much about these vehicles.
Keep reading to learn five things you should know about autonomous driving.
1. Technology is Advancing Quickly
There are a few companies spearheading self-driving technology. Since the market is still so new, lots of companies want to be the first to bring this technology to the masses.
A big part of this technology is machine learning. The automation programs need to be able to learn from the weather, human behavior, traffic patterns, and more. As machine learning advances, self-driving car prototypes improve.
2. There Are Levels of Autonomy
Most of the self-driving cars out in the world aren’t fully automated like we imagine them to be. There are five categories or levels of automation. Each level gets more advanced, with level one being the most common and level five still being researched and developed.
Level one automation is more about smart technology to assist your driving. At this level, there is only one automated aspect, e.g. cruise control. These tools help the driver, but the driver still needs to control the car.
Levels two to four are varying numbers of assisting tools. These can range from reverse sensors, steering assistance, parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, and more. By the point of level four, a lot of the driving features are automated, but a human still needs to be paying attention and might have to intervene.
You can click to discover more about this type of automation.
3. Privacy Concerns
Since these automation programs require so much data to learn and take control, many are hesitant about their privacy being infringed upon. For maximum effectiveness, the cars need to connect to networks to create data maps with other cars.
4. The Appeal of Automation
Some people don’t really get why anyone wants a self-driving car. Some even consider the concept too advanced, or simply a little freaky.
But level five automated cars offer a huge list of benefits. With fully autonomous cars, it means people have more time on their commutes to do other things. It also promises fewer car accidents since the computer technology won’t get distracted or make mistakes as humans do.
5. Regulation Changes Take Time
Since most laws surrounding vehicles on the roads are written with traditional vehicles in mind, it means there aren’t any guidelines for autonomous cars.
In the US, some states have started implementing their own laws surrounding self-driving vehicles as they’ve seen the popularity increasing. This is eventually going to cause problems since the states aren’t standardizing their laws.
Autonomous Driving Is the Future
The potential of autonomous driving is promising. Safer roads, more free time, and a seamless driving experience are all incredibly appealing. It’s just a matter of time for the technology and legislation to make it happen.
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