There is a lot of chatter about self-driving or, autonomous cars. There are articles in trade magazines talking about their possible capabilities and what being a passenger in an autonomous car may look like.
There is a lot of discussion about the improved safety on the road. On a long trip where being tired could cause you to doze off and potentially cause an accident, it makes sense. If you have elderly parents and would feel better with them not driving, that also makes sense. The safety features of the autonomous vehicle are understandable. From what I’ve read, they are able to teach the vehicle to essentially make decisions. It can discern the difference between a deer and a person in the road. The vehicle also can ignore screaming children, a ringing cell phone and a spilled drink. These are all causes of accidents that most people struggle to ignore while driving. Most people in Michigan know when a deer leaps into the road not to swerve. It’s hard to not try to avoid the deer though. It’s what our brain wants us to do. The computer in the car will just do it.
What if you love to drive? I do enjoy cruising along on the road and the feel of the car as it goes down the road. I guess that I should like the idea of gazing out the window as the car moves me towards my destination. We have customers that don’t really enjoy driving. For them it’s a necessity and so a self- driving car would be an invention they would appreciate. Most of the drivers in my family choose their vehicles based on the driving enjoyment level. Going on a Sunday road trip is something we enjoyed with the kids when they were young. Most of the time, we had no destination in mind and just ended up someplace interesting or beautiful. Or that had ice cream.
I have visions of George Jetson cruising along in his flying car. He does steer his flying car so even that vehicle wasn’t self-driving. What I’d really like these people to work on is the tube Jane Jetson rides through in the morning in her bathrobe with a cup of coffee and pops out at the end of the tube dressed, with her hair done. That would make my day!
What do you think? If they work out all the bugs and they are proven to be safe, will you still to choose to take the wheel or will you let your car do the driving?