Is the Market Really Ready for Driverless Cars?
Many modern vehicles are already equipped with some aspect of self-drive technology, such as cruise control or automated parking. Experts predict we’re only a few years away from completely driverless vehicles becoming commonplace, but are we really ready for it?
Gaining Acceptance
Many people appear to accept the prospect of driverless cars. Studies have shown that around half of people would be happy for a car to take control in a traffic jam, whilst almost a third would like this function for motorway driving. Passengers would be happy to browse the internet, chat to friends or even have a snooze whilst the car did the work.
Safety Concerns
One of the biggest concerns about driverless vehicles is safety. Is a car driven by a computer safer than one driven by a human? Experts argue that the vast majority of accidents are caused by human error, so this should be reduced if computers take over. According to Moneysupermarket, consulting firm KMPG has said that, by 2030, self-driving vehicles could reduce road deaths by 2,500 by preventing around 25,000 accidents every year in the UK.
What happens, however, if the computer that controls the vehicle crashes or is tampered with by a hacker? There’ll need to be satisfactory solutions to these questions before many people consider stepping into a driverless vehicle. There have already been reports of driverless vehicles crashing, which further undermines confidence in the safety of these vehicles. But with further research and testing, experts believe that by 2020 there will be around 10 million driverless vehicles on our roads.
Insurance and Liability
Experts predict that driverless cars could have an impact on insurance, especially if the number of accidents drops significantly. This could see premiums fall, too, which could be positive for those struggling financially. Those seeking guaranteed car finance in Portsmouth or elsewhere, from dealers such as www.rightdrive.co.uk, will welcome the prospect of paying less for insurance if these predictions come true.
There are many issues relating to insurance that aren’t yet resolved with regards to driverless cars. In particular, who would be held responsible if there was an accident? Would the blame rest on the manufacturer’s shoulders or the car dealer, or would the owner be accountable? Until these issues have been smoothed out, the market may not quite be ready for self-driving vehicles.
