It’s becoming increasingly clear that self-driving cars are going to be a part of the future, in St. Joseph and elsewhere. It’s also becoming clear that this aspect of the future is not very far away, anymore. Large and innovative companies, from Tesla to Google, are putting lots of time and money into testing their own fleet of self-driving cars. Now, their progress is becoming quite impressive, with test drivers only having to take control of the vehicle once every 5,000 miles.
Self-Driving Cars Developing Rapidly
Google’s self-driving cars are being made and tested by one of its subsidiary companies, Waymo. Much of the road testing in the last ten months has been done in Phoenix and elsewhere in Arizona, using a fleet of about ten Lexus RX 450h vehicles. Soon, Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans will also be used to test Google’s self-driving equipment.
Since testing started in the Arizona area, Waymo’s vehicles have been involved in three car accidents. In two of those crashes, the vehicle was being operated manually by the driver. In the third, it was in self-driving mode when it got rear-ended by another driver.
Despite these accidents, the progress behind self-driving vehicles has been impressive. According to Waymo, drivers in self-driving cars have only had to take control of the vehicles about once every 5,000 miles.
Still Plenty of Development to Go
Even though it has become rare for the vehicles to need a driver to step in and take control, Waymo and other companies behind the development of self-driving cars admit that they are still a little ways from making the vehicles open for use. Even though most of driving is easy, there remains the potential for a strange event that requires the quick judgment and decision-making of a human being. Until the computers that operate self-driving cars are able to make snap decisions in unique situations, self-driving cars will always need drivers to step in at a moment’s notice.
The Great Potential of Self-Driving Cars
Even though they’re not ready for public use just yet, self-driving cars are clearly going to make a huge difference in the world very soon. Not only will they increase the mobility of those who can’t drive – whether because they’re too young, too old, or have a medical issue that prevents them from driving, like blindness or epilepsy – they can also make the roads safer, in the long run.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at Smith Law Office
Even after self-driving cars hit the market, car accidents will continue to be a problem on the roads of the United States, Missouri, and St. Joseph. These crashes lead to serious personal injuries that can change lives.
The personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office fight for those who have been hurt in car accidents in the St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Springfield areas. Contact us online or at (816) 875-9373 for the legal representation that you need to get the compensation that you deserve.