Driverless race Who will be first to get automated cars on the road?
Automakers and tech companies are in a technological race to get automated cars on the road
Automakers’ growing unease with Apple Inc. and Google Inc. over the future of the driverless car has been on full display at the Geneva International Auto Show. And with good reason. The Silicon Valley technology giants have deeper pockets and greater brand recognition than most major U.S. corporations. And both are eagerly eyeing the growing market for vehicles rich in technology features.
But while Google has been openly dabbling in selfdriving cars for years, what has automakers spooked is unconfirmed reports Apple plans to create its own “iCar” — an electric, possibly driverless vehicle — without any help from the auto industry.
Dieter Zetsche, the chief executive of Daimler, launched his auto-show press conference by asking reporters — only partly in jest — to limit their questions about Apple to less than half the time allotted, the New York Times reported last week.
Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne called Apple and Google “disruptive interlopers” that could ultimately benefit the industry while causing carmakers some discomfort in the short term, according to reports. Think driverless cars are a pipe dream? Think again. The technology is already here. Google Inc. unveiled a prototype self-driving car in May 2014 that it hopes will be on the road within five years.
Meanwhile, traditional automakers are rapidly adding driverless features, such as parallel-parking assist, to their newest vehicles.
“We see the widespread adoption of AVs (automated vehicles) as being a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ ” a leading Ottawa-based think-tank predicted in a report released in January.
Driverless vehicles have the potential to cut costs, save lives and reduce travel times, the Conference Board of Canada said in a recent study called Automated Vehicles, the Coming of the Next Disruptive Technology.
The number of traffic fatalities could fall to 400 a year from the current 2,000, while the annual economic benefits could amount to $65 billion, the board predicts. That’s $3,000 per household. Still, there are lots of issues to be sorted out. Consumer acceptance, regulatory issues and cost could remain barriers to widespread adoption, said Heather Ashton, research manager, IDC manufacturing insights.
And then there’s the question of who will own and control these brave new machines: traditional automakers or emerging tech giants?
“At this stage, we don’t know,” said Barry Kirk, director of the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence, in Ottawa. “I think both are coming on very strong. My best guess is both will be successful but in different ways.” The automakers:
How fast can they get to market: By 2020, most major carmakers plan to have partially self-driving vehicles in their showrooms, with fully autonomous versions available by 2025.
What they have going for them: Automakers have the assembly plants, relationships with suppliers, engineering know-how and regulatory approval to build cars.
How they see the market evolving: Most carmakers are adding driverless features, such as parking assist, lane centring and intelligent cruise control, starting with higher-end models. The companies see driverless cars remain in private ownership, with consumers retaining some control over the vehicle. They’ll work best on highways, initially. The tech giants:
How fast can they get to market: Google has said it plans to have a driverless car on the road within five years.
What they have going for them: Google and Apple both have deep pockets and great brand recognition. Google is already testing fully driverless but very low-speed electric vehicles. Apple has declined to comment on its plans.
How they see the market evolving: Google sees the driverless car replacing privately owned vehicles with shared taxi-like services. Consumers will be passively ferried around in plain-looking pods, likely starting in semi-private areas such as shopping districts. With files from Star wires services