Pitfalls of Automotive Technical Advancements

Car Accident Statistics

In one recent year, over 34,000 people died in auto accidents in the United States.

In the same year, over 7 million auto accidents took place.

One person dies from a fatal car accident every 14 minutes.

Speeding

Negligent or risky driving

Partially self-driving cars may perform the bulk of tasks, but humans intervene in certain driving conditions.

Fully autonomous cars may make human intervention unnecessary for all tasks at all times.

Decreased traffic congestion: Autonomous cars could prevent many traffic jam patterns.
Decreased pollution: With cars not stuck in traffic as long, smog and exhaust pollution could lessen.
Fewer car crashes: Common causes of car crashes are not easily replicable with programmed, autonomous driving.
Increased commute comfort: With drivers taking a metaphorical backseat, commute time could shift focus to driver comfort and entertainment.

A prominent fatality in Arizona took place as a result of an Uber self-driving car, signaling the technology still poses safety issues.
Cybersecurity concerns after Chinese hackers used security flaws to trick an auto-pilot Tesla into opposite direction of traffic.
Driving aides could make motorists more dependent and less engaged in driving, which could pose a hazard when human intervention is necessary.
Hundreds of thousands of people who drive for a living face unemployment.
Autonomous vehicles could increase traffic if more commuters shift from public transit to self-driving taxis or rideshare vehicles.
Ethical questions remain about how a self-driving car should “choose” between protecting its occupants versus others on the road.