Albert Einstein said: “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity”.
This is now becoming more evident as we are progressing towards the future. Man’s connection is becoming more vital with technology; therefore, he is increasingly becoming dependent on technology than on the fellow man. From the day man has started striving for his better, there is no way back. Man in need of more comfort is paving his way through all inconvenience. He has created uncountable luxuries for his solace. Cars are a luxury; humankind takes advantage of. In the past, we have seen how technology in vehicles has grown. From cars with a windshield and chassis frame to automatic cars to autonomous and self-driving ones. There was a time, when self-driving cars were considered as reality possible in an Utopian world. But now they are a reality.
Self-driving cars are also called the driverless or autonomous car. They are entirely on their own and need no human to operate. It is composed of sonar lights, navigation, radar, GPS, advanced control systems, IMU (Inertial measurement unit). And other sensory systems are use by them to follow its desired location and avoid anything coming on its way.
The first self-driving car was made by Waymo in 2016 and was tested; more of these cars are being tested in Arizona, California. Self-driving cars drive with high-resolution cameras and high-frequency light. If anything comes in its way, working will be disrupted. And an alarming situation will be there for the car to become cautious. Research on self-driving cars has been done from the 1920s, and till 2020. 2016 was said to be the most successful car-making companies. Most cars on the road would be autonomous. This was predicted by the Guardian that in 2015, people will be a permanent backseat driver. The assumptions were made due to companies like Tesla and Waymo. As they assured people that self-driving cars would be there in 2020. But as Vox says:
“The year is here- but self-driving cars aren’t”.
We do have 30 more years in the way to experience self-driving cars as reality. But what will the future be like with self-driving cars?
Leaving shackles of time. We can imagine ourselves 30 years ahead of our times. In 2050,where we see self-driving vehicles familiar enough that their existence will not affect us. They would fit in so much that no one will bother to notice. Imagine reading, discussing, eating, sleeping, traveling, and needing one car to fulfill all family members’ needs. Self-driving cars will avoid accidents as after 20 million hours of the drive, and there was only one accident. They will be safer as they will be able to detect something in the way of a car 15 to 10 seconds before it gets collide and applies breaks. We will not require keys as we will be able to see where our car is, who is using it etc. And will be able to handle it all via our cell-phone.
Coming our way to the office, we could command the car to help our parents go to the mall for groceries, to pick on children back from school on their way back. We will also earn money from our car by offering a ride to others when we do not use our cars. Huge car parking areas will no further be needed and could be used in so many different ways.
Most self-driving cars will be electric, they will be eco-friendly, they will reduce almost 50% of CO2 emission. Therefore, they will make the environment cleaner. People will make more trips in their cars instead of using airplanes. They will be able to enter the location, sleep, and wakeup on their desired site. They will be connecting all dots on maps by making them efficiently closer. It will be easier for people in business to spread their business to other cities as moving will not be a problem. Moreover, self-driving cars will promote equality for disabled ones. Ones who cannot drive due to any disability will be able to travel freely wherever they want to.
Over the past few years, self-driving cars have become very popular. Famous and companies leading in technology have become obsessed with the idea of totally autonomous cars. In recent years, several experiments have been made by companies like Tesla, Waymo etc., to make a fully driverless car. IIHS (Insurance Institute Highway Safety) senior vice president Rass Rader said that “building blocks of driverless cars are on the road now.” As we can experience cars which help to keep our lane straight. And apply brakes when the driver is not attentive, blow airbags at time of accident and cars that can drive themselves autonomously at highways.
However, there is much progress. But 30% of their expectations as companies are still testing their vehicles to be fully autonomous. Still, Waymo is way forward among others as in Arizona, California. And there are Waymo’s cars that are fully autonomous and offer rides to people.
Thus looking in future with self-driving cars is totally Utopian still. We are in 2020 and self-driving cars are still way ahead of our times. Many companies are losing hope of getting fully autonomous cars. As Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen said that
Fully self-driving cars might never happen.
As there are so many non-verbal things which machines cannot experience as human drivers does. But due to so much advancement, companies have not lost all their hopes. They are still trying through thick and thin to turn this fantasy into reality. And if it becomes a reality, then we must say that technology will be ruling humans. Man will be fully dependent upon robots. Though on other hand, the positive side will be that if all limbs of man become ineffectual, he will be able to do work with simply pushing a press button with his fingers. Ending on this note, let us wait for 2050!
