Are Driverless Cars Actually Safer Than Human-Piloted Cars"
Though autonomous driving technology is rapidly advancing, it?s difficult to assess whether driverless cars are actually safer than human-driven vehicles.
There?s a lot of momentum for autonomous vehicles right now. Companies like Waymo, Cruise, and Zoox have unveiled driverless ride-hailing services in select cities. Mercedes-Benz is poised to be the first automaker to put a car with conditional automated driving on the market. Though there?s plenty of hype, the industry keeps hitting a particular wall: Are these vehicles actually safe"
The Public Doesn?t Trust Autonomous Vehicles
While plenty of people are interested in autonomous vehicles (AVs), the general public remains wary of the technology. Companies hoping to bring AVs directly into public life can easily drum up enthusiasm, yet there?s still a disconnect when trying to turn that excitement into confidence.
Significant Press for AV Crashes Plays a Role
Part of consumers? hesitancy comes from detailed reporting on autonomous vehicle crashes over the past few years. In fact, safety regulators reported that in 2021 and 2022, there were close to 400 AV-involved crashes. Perhaps the most famous accident is the 2018 autonomous Uber vehicle that struck and killed Elaine Herzberg in Tempe, Arizona. That case is back in the news five years later as Rafaela Vasquez, the driving assistant who was in the vehicle, recently pleaded guilty to endangerment.
The news hasn?t exactly slowed down, either. In Oct...
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