If you think that the latest safety innovations in 2017 model year cars are making cars safer, prepare yourself for the coming evolutions that will eventually lead to autonomous vehicles. What was previously thought of as pure science fiction is gradually becoming reality as a number of automakers are involved in a race to get self-driving vehicles (SDCs) on the road.
According to a 2014 study by IHS Automotive, sales of SDCs are expected to reach 230,000 by 2025 across the world, with more than 11 million in annual sales of such vehicles by 2035. The push of SDCs is simply driven by technological advances, safety is at the center of this phenomenon. Essentially, researchers believe that the technology that will help drivers see (and avoid) hazards will be critical in preventing accidents.
Self-driving cars ostensibly will not be susceptible to the human emotions that commonly lead to risky driving behaviors (such as tailgating, speeding and even drunk driving). This theoretically will reduce the number of accidents each year and save countless lives.
Researchers believe that the future of SDCs depend on the reliability (and development) of software that will allow vehicles to continually see and adjust to hazards. Right now, technology is such that only certain aspects of driving (such as parking) are controlled by computers. Lane integrity systems and automatic braking systems are becoming popular add-ons that will soon be mainstream.
In the meantime, drivers have to rely on their own abilities and use the same reasonable care that is expected of all Texas drivers. If you are injured in a crash, an experienced personal injury attorney can advise you.