A recent
article and infographic from Mashable predicts self-driving cars in
showrooms by 2017. Some vehicles can already park themselves, or stop themselves
in the event of an emergency, so the rest can’t be that far off, right? Mashable
does ask, however, “will drivers be willing to trust it enough to sit and
read their iPads or put on makeup on their way to work instead of driving?
(Wait, aren't they doing that now?).”
Widespread acceptance is going to depend on how good and
accessible the technology is. Once we see more and more self-driving cars on the
road, the acceptance will increase, but it’s going to be an uphill battle.
What’s it going to take to get drivers to get their hands of the wheel?
Eventually these cars will interact with the roads and
highways, and even police and emergency vehicles, but most importantly with each
other. For instance, some higher end brands like Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes
Benz already have cars with an adaptive
cruise control feature. Lasers or radar are used to maintain safe distances
from other vehicles.
By 2014 some of the bigger automakers will be offering
embedded 4G internet access in-vehicle. General
Motors has already partnered with AT&T, and Apple is working on an OS
for cars that will integrate with iOS7 in-dash.
Japanese
automakers are banking on hydrogen power to run our cars of the future.
Hydrogen powered cars built by the biggest Japanese automakers are expected to
be on Japanese roads by 2015, backed up with the insurance that there will be
plenty of hydrogen filling stations near all of Japan’s largest cities and
surrounding areas. By 2016, the U.S.
is expected to comprise 90% of the hybrid vehicle market, with a sharp rise
in smart car batteries that run electric vehicles and other hybrids.
- See more at: http://www.geeks.com/techtips/community/the-road-leading-to-self-driving-cars.html#sthash.2vngj3Q4.dpuf
