Will Self-Driving Cars Make Us Safer?

Self-driving cars are all the rage. Google has one in the works. Tesla Motors, Mercedes and BMW are also getting in on the action.

The thought of a car that can drive you to work every day is entertaining, but will the technology effectively translate to reality for American drivers? More importantly, will self-driving cars address one of the main issues facing motorists — safety?

Why Buy a Self-Driving Car?

Once these cars hit the mass market, you’ll find many attractive reasons to purchase one for yourself.

First off, it’s a new and exciting technological development. You’ll be curious to see how it works, so you’ll probably head to a local dealership for a test drive.

Second, you’ll probably fall in love with the idea that you don’t have to keep both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road every second of your commute. You can read a book, text your friends and get caught up on work, all while sipping your coffee in peace.

Autonomous vehicles also could provide a major enhancement in quality of life to the visually impaired or physically handicapped who would be able to access transportation independent of a licensed driver.

But there’s another reason you and all American drivers should start to consider how transformative self-driving cars could be to the current way of life: They might save your life.

Will Autonomous Cars Save Lives?

In 2014, 32,675 people died in car crashes. Research shows that out of all traffic accidents, 90 percent are caused by human error or a lapse in judgment. Automakers believe that the path to eliminating errors and reducing deaths is by taking humans out of the equation.

Costs and Concerns

Of course, as far as safety goes, the hopes may be much higher than actual reality when it comes to self-driving cars. Car accident data is accrued based on nationwide facts and statistics. In short, it’s quite accurate because there are hard numbers to back it up.

So far, the vision many automakers have of a world in which there is a sharp drop in car accidents and little to no lives lost is mainly based on anecdotal evidence.

Google’s self-driving car has logged thousands of miles and only been involved in a few minor fender benders. And in many cases, the Google car was rear-ended by another vehicle — a non-self-driving vehicle.

But will self-driving cars really be safer? That is yet to be seen.

Also, a few hurdles stand in the way. First, the cost of the technology has to be affordable enough that most drivers opt for a self-driving vehicle.

Next, the technology has to be reliable and dependable, especially if autonomous vehicles will be marketed to those without a valid driver’s license or the training to take over in case of a breakdown. Otherwise, the roadways might only become more dangerous, not safer.

Whatever the future holds, Stauffer’s Towing is along for the ride. No matter how autonomous cars become, they’ll never be invincible. You can always count on Stauffer’s Towing to come through when you need roadside assistance, regardless of whether your car is self-driving or not.