What Do Autonomous Roads Look Like For Traditonal Drivers?
News just in; experts predict we’ll have 10 million autonomous vehicles on our roads by 2020. Okay, so that might not actually be anything new. Figures like these have been floating around since self-driving cars were a twinkle in our eyes. Still, with 2019 nearly upon us, 2020 is looking increasingly close. So much so that many of us are getting hot under the collar.
It seems we really are staring down the barrel of having these cars on our roads. That’s both exciting and terrifying. On the one hand, vehicles like these could make our roads a whole lot safer. On the other, we have no real idea right now what self-driving roads will look like when the time comes.
The chances are that you won’t be able to afford a self-driving vehicle the moment they come on the market. Hence why you face being a human driver on a road where cars call the shots. That’s a daunting prospect, especially when you consider that driving around cars like these leaves you at risk of the following.
An increased need to pay attention
Paying attention to the roads is vital at the best of times. Even more so when you’re driving next to cars and trucks with no humans behind the wheel. Another person on the road would be able to see if you swerved all of a sudden and avoid you. An autonomous vehicle won’t be able to do the same. If you fall asleep at the wheel once self-driving cars take the helm, you could find yourself in a whole lot more trouble. Even taking your eyes off the road to check your messages could spell curtains. Of course, these are things you shouldn’t be doing anyway. If you do let things slide sometimes, though, you’re about to learn your lesson the hard way. With fewer eyes on the road, you need to keep yours peeled at all times.
No way to communicate
It’s also worth noting that you won’t have a way to communicate with the cars around you anymore. Many of us hand gestures in thanks or annoyance. We flash our lights to give cars the go-ahead and smile or shout depending on the situation. These are small communications every driver uses. And, they can make all the difference when it comes to our experiences on the road. When cars don’t have drivers, though, you won’t be able to communicate in these ways. You’ll struggle to send signals to cars like these at all. Instead, you’ll need to, again, pay close attention. Only by watching these cars closely do you stand any chance at understanding where they’re headed or where you need to place yourself. Pull out at the wrong moment, and you could find yourself in a collision.
Legal confusions
If you do happen to find yourself in an accident with a self-driving vehicle, you also face legal confusion. The fact is that autonomous cars are, at this stage, still untested waters. As such, legality when it comes to things like accidents is still sketchy. No one has come right out and decided who is liable if a self-driving car has an accident. While different states are looking into this, you could struggle as it stands. If you were in a collision with a self-driving vehicle right now, you would find it very difficult to fight for compensation. While lawyers like those found at the Walkup Melodia self driving car site do specialize in helping those in this position, their job is far from easy. In coming years, then, car accidents look set to become even more of a legal battlefield than they already are.
No chance to foresee issues
As a driver, you should already know that other vehicles are one of the main dangers of driving which you face. Road rage and drunk driving are common causes for accidents. They’re things we always have to look out for. We avoid drivers who look like they’ve been drinking. We steer clear of vehicles which are driving erratically. In short; we look out for warning signs. Guess what, though? Autonomous cars don’t have these same warning signals. In many ways, that’s a good thing. They remove the possibility of drink driving, for example. But a sudden glitch could happen here with no warning at all. If you’re beside a car when this happens, there won’t be anything you can do about it. Except, of course, to leave an adequate distance in the first place.