Since the human race started developing technology, it has increasingly created more and more machines to make lives easier. By easier, we mean more work for the machines and less work for us. One of the biggest changes that we are currently witnessing right now is the shift from manual cars to driverless cars.
People make mistakes and are prone to poor judgment. However, a computer robot does exactly what you program it to do, thus significantly decreasing the chances of an accident. But, let us not forget that autonomous cars are not perfect either, and there have been quite a few self-driving car accidents. If you were hurt by a driverless car, contact an attorney today.
Pros of a self-driving car
- Reduced human error.
Human beings are prone to mistakes. For example, humans get distracted very easily. Maybe you got a text and could not fight the urge to not reply to it, which caused you to crash into a motorbike. These mistakes can be avoided with the use of self-driving technology.
Problems like drunk and distracted driving can be eliminated with driverless vehicles. Studies have shown that self-driving cars can reduce the chances of an accident by 90%.
- Societal cost savings.
Money is an important factor in every person’s life, and therefore, cost saving is one of the biggest pros of self-driving cars. Reports have shown that these cars can save up to $800 billion every year by eliminating the chances of accidents and reducing car repairs and healthcare costs.
- Environmentally friendly.
Most autonomous car companies manufacture vehicles that run on electricity rather than combustion fuels. Therefore, it directly saves natural resources for the coming generations and decreases air pollution.
Cons of self-driving cars
- Hacking potential.
Autonomous cars have a network protocol that allows them to communicate with other autonomous vehicles on the road, making them more vulnerable to hackers. Moreover, there are chances of being tracked in your car and knowing your locations.
- Job losses.
Countless people depend on driving for their living. Drivers in the trucking industry, taxi cab industry, and bus drivers may need to find new employment. Fast food delivery drivers may also find themselves being replaced with autonomous delivery vehicles.
- Accidents.
We cannot say that computers are perfect. We often find our smartphones freezing or glitching due to a fault in the software. The same can happen with cars, leading to a catastrophic accident. A little mistake in the car’s coding can cause an accident that would be otherwise preventable with a human driver.
While there are plenty of ways self-driving cars better the lives of human beings, they come with their own downsides. Just because a human was not operating the car does not mean you cannot get compensation. If a driverless vehicle has caused you injuries, hire an attorney today.