DRIVERLESS CARS

For many years, scientists are working on a type of car that doesn’t need a driver. Car companies are hoping to be the first to market a new autonomous vehicle in the near future. These “driverless” or “autonomous” cars are attractive to many people because they offer many benefits.

American, European, and Japanese companies are now in a race to develop the first affordable driverless car. Experts say that these companies are very close to their goal. In 2010, for example, the Audi TTS drove by itself to the top of a mountain called Pike’s Peak. In 2013, Toyota showed off a driverless car that worked with the aid of communication systems. Daimler has constructed an autonomous vehicle that can go for 100 kilometers without the need of a human driver. Many of these manufacturers claim that driverless cars will be available for consumer purchase within the next several years. They hope that most of the vehicles on the road will be driverless by the year 2040.

There are several possible benefits to use driverless cars. The first obvious one is safety. Driverless vehicles could reduce traffic accidents by 10 per cent. Google’s fleet of driverless vehicles has driven a total of 500,000 kilometers without a single accident. Driverless vehicles are also able to better conserve fuel, which means energy consumption will also be reduced. Finally, driverless vehicles are a way for elderly and disabled people to get around.