The future of driving isn’t just about electrification. It’s about automation.
Yes, just as it seems sci-fi to go a few hundred miles without a drop of gas – now of course, with the growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) – you’ll soon be the passenger rather than the driver. an autonomous vehicle.
Imagine one day you hop in your driverless car in the morning and because it’s a weekday, he knows you want to go to the office unless you say otherwise. When it drops you off, the car returns home instead of parking you.
Tesla: Tesla’s Autopilot is an example of semi-autonomous driving technology available today, including the ability to stay lame, accelerate or slow down based on cars around you, and change lanes. However, feedback has been mixed about Tesla’s FSD beta software, a $15,000 upgrade to its advanced driver assistance system.
Or maybe your vehicle will become part of a city’s rideshare network and collect fares during the day and save you money in the process. He knows he’ll pick you up after work, maybe your dry cleaning, and you can take a nap on the way home to feel refreshed with your family for dinner.
How, when and where truly self-driving cars will become the norm, however, is up for debate, but experts agree that it will perhaps come “down the road” sooner than you might think.
Why autonomous vehicles?
According to Renub Research, a market research and consulting firm, the US autonomous vehicle market will grow from $4 billion in 2021 to $186 billion by 2030, according to its recently published report.
Besides the convenience of driving around, autonomous cars are said to be a safer ride.
So, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if human error accounts for 94% of all traffic accidents, then perhaps it makes sense to rely more on technology to ensure our safety.
Cadillac LYRIQ: Cadillac’s all-electric 2023 LYRIQ will support Super Cruise, billed as the industry’s first truly hands-free driver assistance feature. From 2023, the number (and types) of roads will be significantly expanded in the USA and Canada.
A driverless car does not put its driver or others at risk in accidents resulting from potentially dangerous human behavior or situations, such as speeding, reckless driving, drowsiness, distracted driving, or impairment from alcohol or drugs.
Autonomous vehicles may also cause less congestion on the roads, as cars can communicate with each other and change routes due to traffic, accidents or construction.
How do self-driving cars work?
“Autonomous vehicles have numerous benefits,” said Jason Fischer, chief autonomous technology engineer at General Motors (GM).
“Ultimately, we aim to eliminate human driver error and improve mobility for those who are currently unable to drive due to age, disability or other factors, while creating more time and space for the things that really matter in life,” adds Fischer.
Thanks to technologies such as on-board cameras, radar, sonar, lidar, GPS and infrared sensors, these vehicles can sense their surroundings and navigate around obstacles, obey traffic rules and reach a pre-selected target.
Mercedes: Automotive expert and publisher Nik Miles says the Mercedes-Benz EQS luxury electric sedan will be the first model to support “level 3” autonomy in the US in 2023, starting in California and Nevada. Miles says that while a driver needs to be in the driver’s seat, he doesn’t necessarily have to focus on the road for autonomous driving to be activated.
Fischer says they’ve already launched their commercial driverless taxi service in a major city.
“Cruise, our autonomous cruise partner, is already making paid rides on the streets of San Francisco, and we will continue to see growth in space in the years to come,” he said.
When pressed for a timeline, Fischer said GM aims to “deliver personal autonomous vehicles as soon as the middle of the decade.”
So where are we in driverless cars today?
Kristin Kolodge, vice president of automated benchmarking and mobility development at JD Power, explains that most major auto companies already offer semi-autonomous hands-free technologies in their vehicles.
“Think of it as an extra set of eyes that can provide some vehicle control, such as keeping a distance from a vehicle in front of you, some form of adaptive cruise control, keeping your lane positioning for you, and changing lanes safely.