Autonomous Vehicles and Self-Driving: Is Eliminating the Human the Answer to Road Safety?

Cars have been around for some time now, since 1893.

The first-ever petrol-driven American car was road-tested in Springfield, Massachusetts, by the Duryea Brothers. This car even won a race in 1895, a year before it was sold off.

Since then, different car models have been introduced. Statistics show that over 278 million personal and commercial vehicles were registered across the US as of 2022.

In the same year, only 8.3% of American households owned no vehicle.

The latest versions have such advanced features that were unheard of decades ago.

Some of these advanced technologies designed to support drivers include park assist, wireless charging, GPS navigation, and, the most exciting of all, self-driving.

These vehicles are said to have a degree of road autonomy using radars, sensors, and odometry. It is said that they are able to operate or drive around without human intervention.

Since autonomous vehicles are technology, we may assume that they would solve the problem of road safety.

How true is that?

In this article, we will discuss self-driving and whether eliminating humans is the answer to road safety.

A Technology Designed to Improve Road Safety:

Due to advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), self-driving cars can have a 360-degree view of their surroundings at all times.

This means they will be able to navigate independently without any input from a human driver.

The basic premise is that removing the driver from the equation will also remove the element of human error.

This seems reasonable since 90% of all road accidents occur due to this reason.

For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) cites over-speeding and intoxication as the two main causes of accidents.

Naturally, technology cannot get high, unlike humans. Moreover, well-tested advanced features like lane-keeping assistance, emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control can prevent unnecessary speeding.

Furthermore, cooperative intelligent transport systems (CITS) can also improve connectivity between self-driving vehicles.

This means safety-critical information like traffic flow, average vehicle speeds, etc. can be exchanged with others around.

Authorities can use such details to make decisions regarding opening or closing certain lanes and more to avert accidents.

Concerning Studies and Sad Statistics:

In the previous section, we discussed how self-driving cars promise a future with minimal road accidents.

This undoubtedly depends upon the infrastructure and better road conditions. When both the vehicle and its surroundings are in alignment, a world without human driving intervention may be possible.

Completely driver-less or autonomous cars may not be available until 2040, but the timeline could shift further than that.

Even so, certain vehicles today feature systems that offer hands-free driving for extended stretches of time. This means self-driving technology is speedily maturing.

Based on the condition today, we can infer what the future may look like. Unless the existing technologies advance at a rapid pace, this technology brings with it concerns.

Current studies show that 93% of Americans surveyed were skeptical about auto-drive features.

The statistics even confirm such concerns because an accident occurred this year in which Tesla's self-driving feature failed.

The video of the incident surfaced and had over a million views. It can be seen that the car was almost about to crash into a passing train.

The driver admitted to becoming complacent and trusting the technology. It was just at the right time that he realized how the car had failed to recognize the train. This was just one case in discussion.

Missouri is seeing an increasing number of accidents among cars with self-driving features.

Over 250 cases involved a Tesla. Among all its cities, St. Louis is particularly vulnerable because it already has a reputation for unsafe lanes, careless drivers, and increasing road accidents.

Many drivers believe that they should bear no responsibility for an accident since the vehicle was 'driving itself.'

However, this logic needs to be revised and shows a lack of accountability.

Even if self-driving features are to blame, the human operator is responsible for paying attention.

Since such an accident may ultimately materialize due to negligence, the victim can sue with the help of a St. Louis car accident attorney.

After all, car accidents, in general, can have debilitating consequences, including physical injuries, psychological trauma, loss of income, heavy expenses, etc.

According to TorHoerman Law, the legal team will thoroughly assess the case, gather critical evidence, and determine the extent of damages.

This will ensure the victim receives fair compensation. Until now, this has been a sad story with cars that were designed to bolster road safety.

Possible Consequences of Autonomous Vehicles: Have We Thought Through All the Impacts?

Statista states that the world is increasingly preparing for autonomous cars.

By 2028, the majority of vehicles on the roads will have reached at least Level 3 of self-driving. This makes it clear that autonomous vehicles are our future.

However, this raises eyebrows as to whether the world is fully aware and prepared for the possible consequences.

We will list all the negative consequences since the upsides are not a concern.

• The average cost of a fully autonomous car is expected to reach up to $250,000. However, this technology may only be affordable for some American households.
• It is quite easy for automated systems to malfunction. When that happens, accidents and fires ensue.
• A significant percentage of the US population drives for a living. In 2024, there will be over 230 million licensed drivers in the country. Going autonomous would threaten people's livelihoods.
• The technology on which automated vehicles run cannot easily detect pedestrians, raising the risk of pedestrian accidents.
• Hacking is another major issue with driverless technology. Since autonomous vehicles are always online, they are vulnerable to malicious attacks.

Conclusion:

In light of what we've discussed, it does beg the question of human carefulness.

Would it not be easier if we all played our roles on the roads and looked out for each other's safety?

Technology will never replace humans.

If it is expected to do so, the same is just a disaster in the making. This is our reality, at least for now. Will the future look different?

Only time will tell.

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Intelligent Driving Systems Improve Road Safety and Efficiency

With most accidents on the road caused by human error, the use of advanced driver-assistance systems in new vehicles has been shown to reduce passenger injury by 27 percent.

Collisions can be avoided by alerting drivers to potential hazards and automating potentially dangerous driving.

 

Intelligent Driving Systems Improve Road Safety and Efficiency: eAskme

As well as saving lives on the road, advances in technology bring many other benefits.

While car technology improves fuel economy and driving techniques, connected and intelligent systems support more efficient and safer roads.

Roadside Technology Reduces the Risk of Truck Accidents:

Due to their size and weight, truck accidents are particularly serious.

According to the latest figures from the US Department of Transportation, the number of fatalities caused by large truck crashes rose by over 30% from 2009 to 2019.

According to an Austin semi-truck accident lawyer, an incident occurs, the resulting case may be complex, involving several contributing factors. 

To eliminate some of the risks associated with these collisions, the city of Austin will be installing 5G equipment at the roadside.

As well as being used to ensure emergency vehicles quickly gain priority access to any incidents, the technology will be used to connect with drivers to offer real-time updates on traffic incidents and lane guidance to ease congestion.

AI-Generated Driving Systems Save Lives:

A global UN initiative aims to cut the number of deaths on the road by 50% within the next ten years.

To help reach this target, the UN plans to introduce more technologies fuelled by AI, which it believes has the potential to save 675,000 lives around the world each year.

For example, in the city of Nagpur in India, a small AI device with a camera that captures a driver’s view of the road is currently being trialed, and it is hoped to introduce the same collision avoidance technology to other states shortly.

By capturing and analyzing data from the road ahead, the system can alert drivers to potential hazards and change their driving behavior to avoid a crash. 

Powered Infrastructure Charges Electric Vehicles:

Improving safety on the roads is a priority; increasing their efficiency and sustainability is also important.

While drivers in the US are being encouraged to use electric vehicles, many are hesitant due to concerns about range and charging facilities. 

Although it is still in the early stages of development, a new technology known as inductive charging could solve these issues.

When it is integrated into highways, it can charge electric vehicles as they drive along the road.

By adding small particles of metallic elements to concrete, the road surface can be magnetized by an electric current, which creates power sent directly to the vehicles.

Advances in technology are enhancing the whole driving experience.

For example, with AI-powered in-car technology and intelligent infrastructure systems, accidents can be drastically reduced. At the same time, drivers can avoid congestion and enjoy more efficient roads.

If you still have any question, feel free to ask me via comments.

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Driving in the UK Know these things

First of all, welcome to the UK! Please accept our apologies for the dreadful weather, and we hope you will enjoy your stay.

If you are flying in from the United States, you will most likely arrive at Heathrow or Gatwick airports in London.

Driving in the UK: 6 Things You Need to Know: eAskme

Don't even think about hiring a car if you stay in central London.

Traffic is an absolute nightmare, parking is expensive, and a congestion charge of £11.50 per day.

The driving experience itself isn't the best either.

We recommend you stick to public transportation.

However, if you want to see more of the UK, especially the more remote areas, then a car would be the most practical mode of transportation.

The British drive on the "wrong side" of the road for most foreigners.

Here people drive in the left lane, and the driver sits on the right side of the car.

It will take you a bit of time to get used to this, so make sure you don't let your guard down the first two or three days.

There's a learning curve, and most international tourist accidents occur in this interval.

You can also practice online before your trip. It will give you a chance to get a feel for it, and there are some theory tests to make sure you understand the rules.

If you are traveling from the United States or Canada, keep in mind that most cars in the UK are manual transmissions (stick shift).

If you want to hire a car, you'll need to specify you want automatic, or you'll get manual by default.

Driving Requirements:

You can drive in the UK for up to 12 months without a UK license if you hold a valid driver's license from your native country.

The legal driving age here is 17.

You can start driving at 16, but only with a provisional license and a licensed driver in the passenger seat.

If you want to drive in the UK as a tourist, you must have a full license and be 17 years old.

The minimum age to hire a car varies between car rental companies.

While some accept customers as young as 17, most only rent to drivers 21 years or older and charge drivers under 25 an additional fee.

You will need a valid driver's license – and an international driving permit is recommended but not required, a passport or government-issued identification card, insurance, insurance certificate, and a European accident statement that you can get from your car insurance provider.

Basic Rules:

As is the case in any country, the UK has some basic driving rules that must be followed:

• Comply with all speed limits and road signs;
• Don't get behind the wheel if your blood alcohol level exceeds the legal limit;
• Everyone in the car is required to wear a seat belt, though there are some exceptions to this rule;
• Stop at all STOP signs and red traffic lights;
• Follow the instruction given to you by police officers;
• Give way to emergency vehicles with sirens or flashing lights.

Measurement System:

For driving-related measurements, the United Kingdom generally uses imperial units.

Longer distances are expressed in miles and shorter distances in yards. A yard is the equivalent of three feet.

A mile has 1760 yards.  Speed limits are in miles per hour, and cars also indicate speed in mph.

Even though car fuel economy ratings are always displayed in miles per gallon, fuel is purchased in liters using the metric system.

We know it doesn't make sense, but that's the way things are here.

Road Types:

There are different roads in the UK, marked through a lettering system.

You'll notice that each road has a litter and a number. The letter shows the type of road.

M stands for motorway – the largest and fastest (for the most part) type of road.

M roads can have up to four lanes of traffic in each direction, although three lanes are the most typical configuration, and sometimes they only have two lanes.

The speed limit on motorways is 70 mph. 

Motorways are off-limits to learner drivers and some types of vehicles, as well as pedestrians.

They have no traffic lights or roundabouts, and drivers use on and off slipways.

The signs are always white text on a blue background.

• "A" roads are typically considered the main roads in the United Kingdom, and their speed limits are set at 60 miles per hour unless otherwise noted. Some sections of A roads will be dual carriageways with a 70 mph speed limit.A road can have a single track, but that rarely happens in remote areas.
• "B" roads are smaller and often connect "A" roads. They can still handle a fair amount of traffic, but they're shorter.
• "C," "D," and other letters indicate even smaller roads, usually in rural areas. In less rural areas, they tend to cover shorter distances.
  

Speed Limit:

Speed limits differ based on the road you're on.

There are a lot of circular signs that indicate the speed limit at regular intervals.

You'll see a number representing the speed limit in mph with a red circle around it.

Suppose you see a black diagonal line on the circle.

In that case, it means that the previously imposed speed limit is no longer valid from this point on, and you can go back to the default limits of 70 mph on M roads or dual carriageway sections of A roads and 60 mph on normal roads.

You'll often see locals going above 70 mph.

Don't follow their example, thinking that if they're locals, they know better.

Penalties for exceeding the speed limit can be severe, especially if it results in an accident.

Most of the other roads in the UK have a speed limit of 60 mph. The speed limit is usually 30 mph unless otherwise indicated in populated areas.

It's also worth noting that speed limits in the UK differ based on the sort of vehicle you're driving and whether or not you're towing anything.

Seat Belts:

Everyone in the car must have a seat belt and wear it.

Suppose your car has three seat belts in the back seat.

That means you can't have four people on the back seat simultaneously because one won't have a seat belt to wear.

The driver is responsible for ensuring that everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt, and if they break the rules, they can get a hefty fine.

However, seat belt use is subject to some important exceptions.

For example, when you're reversing your car, you may remove your seat belt so you can move and see where you're going, but you have to put it back right after if you're going to continue driving.

Another exception is for medical reasons.

Then you need a certificate that you keep with you in the car.

You also don't have to wear a seat belt if you drive a classic car that did not originally have seat belts, but then you can use that car to carry children under the age of three, and older children are only allowed to ride in the back seats.

Lastly, you may see taxi drivers not wearing a seat belt while driving.

They're allowed to drive without a seat belt, but passengers still have to wear seat belts.

If you still have any question, feel free to ask me via comments.

Share it with your friends and family.

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