Will self-driving cars allow for drinking and driving?

22 January 2016 - By Eugene Herbert

Hi
Folks...


Welcome
back - we trust that 2016 will be a safe driving experience for all whom you
encounter.


Obviously
the horrific number of fatalities in the festive season still weighs heavily on
our minds. One imagines, and trusts something will be done to “inspire” a
change in motorists behaviour and, hopefully, some clear strategy on what the
authorities will do ‘make a difference’.


A
significant number of crashes in 2015 were attributed to drink driving, and
while this is totally unacceptable, it does give rise to an interesting
discussion on self-driving cars. The information below raises some
controversial perspective from drivers in North America.


 


Canadians lack interest in self-driving
cars, especially if they can’t drink and drive: Survey


Tech Reporter Global News


 


Self-driving
cars are becoming more and more pervasive, as many major automakers compete to
bring a self-driving car to consumers. This week at the Detroit Auto
Show, manufacturers from Ford to General Motors showed off
the latest developments to their autonomous vehicles.


And
while the auto and tech industries are all abuzz over self-driving vehicles,
one big question remains – what do consumers think of the futuristic cars?


Well,
it appears that some Canadian consumers might be on board with the idea, if it
means they can drink and drive.


According
to a new survey conducted by consumer market research firm GFK, just one
in four of Canadian drivers find self-driving cars appealing.


But
here’s the catch – that number “significantly decreased” once those drivers
were told they couldn’t use the self-driving car when drunk.


However,
the survey – which polled drivers about their views on connected car technology
– was only compiled from answers from 1,000 Canadians aged 18 and over.


But
the survey brings up an important point.


Many
may assume “self-driving” car means the human is simply a passenger – that no
sort of human interaction is involved in operating the vehicle. However, recent
reports show that the high-tech cars are still a long way away from simply
being vessels that ship people from point A to point B.


This
week California’s Department of Motor Vehicles released a series of reports
filed by companies that were given permission to test prototype vehicles in
public. The documents summarized instances in which a human driver had to take
over due to technology problems or other safety concerns.


Nissan,
for example, tested just 1,485 miles in public, but reported 106 cases where
the driver had to take control. The automaker has said it plans to have
“commercially viable autonomous drive vehicles” by 2020.


Google
said its cars needed human help 341 times over 424,000 miles. That would be the
equivalent of about 10 times per year, given the 12,000 miles the average U.S.
vehicle travels annually.


While
only 11 of the 341 instances would have caused a crash, it shows that even
some of the most tested vehicles still need human interaction as a backup.


This
‘kicks off’ our 2016 newsletter which in the next while will see some
interesting and – in our opinion - exciting changes.


Till next time - Drive Safe and remember
that for the foreseeable future YOU are the driver and control what
happens to and around YOU.


Eugene Herbert



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