They go by a lot of names: self-driving, driverless, autonomous, but they all mean the same thing: cars that can drive themselves and they’re the latest leap into the future technology is taking. A lot of Americans are very wary about the newest advancement in driving. Whether it’s the lack of control or the lack of privacy, there are a few advantages and disadvantages to this new technology. We’ll walk you through the pros and cons of the latest advancement for cars and detail everything you should be prepared for with this latest leap into the future.
Pros
Safer Roads
It’s no surprise that one of the leading causes of accidents today is distracted driving. People are too busy updating their social media and answering texts to pay attention to the road in front of them and it’s terrifying. Self-driving cars would eliminate this risk once and for all. It would also help keep tired drivers from being a danger to the traffic around them, because they won’t be in control of the car.
Cheaper Overall Cost
I know this sounds crazy because autonomous cars are very pricey, but think about it. These cars are designed to drive in the optimal fashion every time. This means that you’ll be using less gas, having to repair your breaks less frequently, and get in fewer accidents. You’re saving money on gas, repairs, and your insurance rates will go down because you aren’t as likely to get in an accident. After having the car for just a few months, you’ll start to see your investment return to you in savings.
Less Stressful Commute
Road rage is a real problem for American drivers. Traffic jams irritate us, other drivers irritate us, and over half the country thinks they are above average drivers and thus in the right. All of this breeds a hostile and stressful driving environment, especially in bigger cities. When you aren’t having to drive the car or pay attention to the traffic, the commute becomes a lot less stressful which is better for your overall health.
Cons
Lack of Control
A big hurdle standing between American drivers and the integration of self-driving cars is that of the lack of control. We’re used to having complete control of our vehicles and it’s scary relinquishing control of something that could so easily become dangerous. Traffic accidents kill a lot of people every year. However, recent polls show that most people overcame that concern once they test-drove the car and witnessed its accident prevention capabilities.
Risk of Isolation
Some of the newest prototypes for the autonomous cars don’t even feature windows because visibility is no longer a concern. This begs the question, what will become of Americans once we get used to just arriving in new places, new cities without even seeing them? Many Americans fear this will lead to even more isolation among the next generation of Americans just like smart phones have.
Over-dependence on Technology
Younger drivers are already over-dependent on navigational systems to get to places; some don’t even know how to get to their own homes from their place of work. With this new technology, they wouldn’t even need to learn how to drive a car; the cars always drove themselves.
Worse Traffic
You think traffic jams are bad now, imagine once everyone’s car is their own chauffeur. More and more people will be using cars to get them places which will mean worse traffic jams. Sure, no one will be driving, but your commute is going to be hours longer.
Less privacy
With newer technology, there’s always some level of decrease in technology. Companies want to know everything about you so that they can better advertise to you. All it takes is installing sensors into their self-driving cars and boom, there goes your privacy. They’ll know everywhere you go, how often you go there, and some will even have cameras inside to track eye gaze so it can better speculate on what you may like. If you had issues with Facebook using your browser history to recommend ads, you’re going to hate these cars. They’re basically just giant computers on wheels.
There are a lot of benefits to investing in the newest advancement in car technology, self-driving cars. However, there are also quite a few downfalls. What you gain in safety and financial savings, you lose in privacy and independence. If your car knowing all your locations isn’t a concern for you, we say it’s probably worth the investment. You’ll save tons in gas and insurance costs and be that much safer on the road. We hope we’ve laid out the pros and cons in a detailed enough way to allow you to make an informed decision on autonomous cars. They are, after all, the future of driving.