Self-driving cars have yet to win over wary public
Self-driving cars seem to be the next logical step in taking the responsibility of operating a motor vehicle out of human hands.
Autonomous vehicles (AVS) use technology to partially or entirely replace the human element in navigating a vehicle from an origin to destination, while avoiding road hazards and responding to traffic conditions.
As that technology advances and becomes more affordable, manufacturers have equipped more vehicles with partial or completely autonomous driving systems.
Advertisements showing vehicles squeezing into impossibly tight spaces or parallel parking without human assistance serve to drive consumers toward those automatic vehicle showrooms.
However, the driving public doesn’t appear to be sold on this hands- off inevitability.
If they were, they wouldn’t still be asking this basic question: are self- driving cars safe?
While carmakers claim that AVS may be safer than human drivers, there isn’t enough evidence to support that position.
That’s because autonomous vehicles also introduce new safety risks, such as potential technology malfunctions that can cause car accidents.
A new study conducted by AAA indicates that lack of trust in self- driving vehicles remains high.
The study conducted in January that surveyed 1,010 adults shows most U.S. drivers express fear (66%) or uncertainty (25%) regarding fully self- driving vehicles — continuing a lack- of-trust trend that peaked last year.
That’s a figure that reflects real-world sentiment.
Run annually by AAA, the survey’s findings didn’t differ materially from the previous year.
The study indicated that as the auto industry continues to advance technologically, it also needs to gain the consumers’ trust.
At this point, drivers appear even skeptical of semi-autonomous features like lane-keeping assistance.
Whether it’s due to potential dangers on the roads or loss of employment, people remain fearful of a future involving driverless cars. That puts the onus on manufacturers to produce flawless machines, something they have yet to accomplish.
“Consumer skepticism of autonomous vehicles is not surprising, given the recalls and well-publicized incidents that occurred last year,” said Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast.
“It’s critical that drivers understand both the capabilities and limitations of technology in their cars and how, when, and where to use the systems properly.”
With advancements across so many types of vehicle technology, it’s easy to see how driver misconceptions arise,” Schieldrop said. “Uniformity in system naming and performance across the industry can go a long way toward educating drivers.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which collects data on motor-vehicle accidents involving automated driving systems, provides a window into how they performin real-life conditions.
In 2021, the NHTSA began requiring carmakers to report crashes involving vehicles with advanced driver-assistance features.
Its first released report reflects the information collected from July 1, 2021 to May 15, 2022. Over that 10-month span, manufacturers reported 392 self- driving car accidents, resulting in six fatalities and five severe injuries.
The agency cautioned that it would not draw specific conclusions about autonomous vehicle safety based solely on this initial data. Instead it will continue to collect information and publish future data, analysis, and recommendations to promote driving safety.
It shouldn’t be surprising that Tesla vehicles operating with Autopilot technology or full self-driving beta mode were involved in 273 of the 392 crashes reported by the NHTSA, including five of these fatal collisions. Honda models were linked with 90 other accidents, while Subaru vehicles accounted for 10. Ford, Toyota, and other car manufacturers each reported five or fewer crashes.
Market domination explains why Tesla vehicles account for about 70% of crashes in the report. Approximately 830,000 of its U.S. vehicles have the Autopilot system or other self- driving features, far more than Nissan’s 560,000 vehicles with autonomous capabilities. Ford and General Motors manufacture models with similar features, but their sales have been significantly lower.
In November 2021, Tesla recalled nearly 12,000 vehicles that were part of its full self- driving beta testing, enabling Autopilot use on city streets. The company said a software update could cause car accidents by unexpectedly triggering the emergency braking system.
While Tesla and other companies have claimed their driver assistance technologies are safer than relying solely on human control, the NHTSA continues to examine how self- driving vehicles perform in real-world situations.
With the emergence of artificial intelligence into virtually every facet of human interaction, a fool-proof automated driving system might someday be within automakers’ grasp.
Until then, we advise the driving public to retain a healthy dose of skepticism.