For years, people have imagined a world where machines replace humans for specific tasks. They desired hoovers that do the vacuuming for you and email systems that put messages you do not want to see straight into the bin. Many of these goals have become some sort of reality.
Yet when it comes to motor vehicles, the artificial intelligence in charge of driving really needs to be better than any human before they start being made for regular use.
Self-driving technology still has a way to go
A study by the Insurance Institute for Highways Safety (IIHS) reports self-drive cars are so far failing to deliver on the promises they made. They are not reducing accidents nearly enough to be safe for mass use.
Self-driving cars tout their ability to avoid driver perception errors. However, according to the study, removing these perception errors would only reduce crashes by 23%. Around 40% of crashes happen because of conscious choices drivers make, not mistakes. As long as the AI in a self-driving car can be overridden by a human driver, safety will continue to be an issue.
The cars of the future need to be smarter than us, and they need to know when to ignore us. Essentially, they need to prioritize safety over all other things — including the demands of their human drivers.
Few people doubt that self-drive technology will improve drastically over time. Yet, it will be some years before it reaches the stage where the roads are a genuinely safe place for all to be.
When you’ve been injured in a car wreck, seek guidance
One day, we may all live in a world where the only car accidents are due to unavoidable issues, like blown tires and patches of black ice — but that isn’t now. The vast majority of wrecks are caused by human error. If you were hurt by a negligent driver, you could be facing a lengthy recovery and a lot of financial losses. Speak with an experienced attorney about your options for recovery.
