Of course, driving has been a common part of our culture for over a century, so such a dramatic change will not be accepted overnight. If you feel nervous with your partner behind the wheel, how about no one at all behind the wheel?
Not surprisingly, a large percentage of people polled were not at all comfortable with that prospect when asked as little as a year ago. However, as people learn more about the technology and think about the advantages driverless cars offer, they are starting to come on board with the idea.
AAA reports that 70% of Americans are still uneasy about relying solely on technology to get around, but that represents a 15% decline over 2016. I suspect that number will continue to drop as more and more of these vehicles are tested on the road and do not get involved in crashes. Let’s face it: in the vast majority of cases, human error is what leads to vehicle collisions, not the technology.
Think about it: yes, there will still be plenty of cars on the road, so traffic will still be slow. But because of how precise the driving will be, they can safely travel just a few inches apart. You can also catch up on your email, Facebook, or even sleep during your commute. Who doesn’t want that?
That future isn’t here quite yet, but I can’t wait!
Here is footage of Waymo’s self-driving car in action: