Sandy Supposes....

I'd Prefer To Continue Driving Myself and Others Crazy

PROMPT: The Sunday News! This week, a self-driving car was involved in an accident in Arizona. What are your thoughts on autonomous vehicles? Cool new tech of the future? Too many unknowns and variables to be considered safe? Or do you fall somewhere in the middle? Tell us what you think.

          This accident only served to prove that not everything can be anticipated when it comes to vehicles and traffic. It seems that another car made an unsafe left turn, and the collision was unavoidable. There are several factors that may lead to a motor vehicle accident; inexperience, inattention, health episodes, distractions, poor choices, uncontrolled speed, other drivers and their issues, lack of mechanical maintenance, weather, road conditions, wildlife, and natural disasters. How could all of this be preprogrammed into a self-driving vehicle? Driving involves anomalies. There are unpredictabilities. Can a computer and sensors anticipate anything and everything?

          I'm comfortable with driving. As a long-time driver, I prefer to make my own decisions, my own choices. I take responsibility for my vehicle, and my driving performances. I control where and when we travel. I control the speed , and the course taken. I am well aware of what is happening. I am not content to merely sit and be a passenger.

          I believe that the autonomous vehicle is far from being commonplace. I realize that more design modifications are needed, and more testing is necessary. Yes, there are a myriad of features for vehicles that did not exist in the past. Most were created to improve safety, and fuel mileage. They all had to be proven feasible. Seatbelts and air bags are relatively new. Computers and sensors are now a mainstay of modern vehicles.

         I'm not yet ready to trust implicitly a man-made gadget that eliminates the driver. Flaws, faults, irregularities, call them what you will, mistakes happen. They occur in production with inferior materials, or shoddy workmanship. Some choose to put profit ahead of quality. To err is human, right? What difference will outside factors such as wear and tear, plus extreme weather, have on a self-driving car? What are the repair and maintenance procedures, and expenses? Will owner/operators be taught to utilize and program their new vehicles? Will they be mandated to do this? Will they be licensed? How will liability and insurance be determined?

         What will become of people who earn their livings as drivers? Nothing compares to an actual person. Why give up so much to a machine?