Automated Cars: What About Safety?

The driverless cars portrayed in science fiction films such as Total Recall and Minority Report seem far-fetched, but recent technological advancements soon may make computer controlled cars a reality. Google has been testing several vehicles that can actually drive themselves. The cars incorporate cameras and artificial-intelligence software that can sense anything near the car and mimic the decisions made as if a human was driving the vehicle. During 1000 miles of driving without human control, the cars have been involved in a single accident; one car was rear ended while waiting at a traffic light.

Driverless cars are years from mass production, and the regulation of such vehicles is an unresolved question. State legislatures are nowhere close to developing legislation to establish computer competencies, control obligations and standard safety features for autonomous vehicles. Many questions must be answered before legislation can be finalized, including: what will happen if the computer becomes disabled and will other drivers be at risk if a vehicle malfunctions? Current laws presume that a human (who has been certified as a proper driver) is operating a motor vehicle. The development of driverless vehicles could necessitate a complete overhaul of laws governing transportation safety, emergency protocols and enforcement, in order to deal with the unique challenges and safety issues computerized cars would inspire.

Google technicians believe that autonomous cars could revolutionize driving; like the Internet changed computing forever. Computerized drivers could react faster than humans, could not be distracted, and could not be fatigued. By eliminating the factors that commonly lead to accidents, more lives could be saved. Further, traffic volume on highways could be improved if cars moved in a uniform manner and no bottlenecks constricted traffic. However, before this can happen, numerous safety issues must be addressed.