The Center of Automotive Research predicts that self-driving vehicles will be available to the public as soon as 2019; that’s just 7 years away.
Cars Are More Autonomous Thanks To Technology
We’ve seen a trend with cars becoming slowly more autonomous and as a result they are also significantly safer. For example, Volvo offers technology that has the ability to sense pedestrians and other cars via sensors. Many manufacturers have also implemented systems that alert The technology for self-driving cars is already in existence; most of us are aware of Google’s own fleet of autonomous cars.
However, autonomous cars may be heading towards a dealership near you quite soon. The Center of Automotive Research predicts that self-driving vehicles will be available to the public as soon as 2019; that’s just 7 years away.
Will Consumers Buy It?
All of this radical technology isn’t going to run cheap; experts estimate that autonomous cars will cost approximately $3,000 more than traditional vehicles. Given the current state of the economy it may be hard to convince consumers to spring the extra money; polls conducted by J.D powers showed that only 20% of buyers would be willing to pay the extra amount despite the fact that 37% indicated interest in driving such a vehicle.
Buyers are more likely to purchase a self-driving car once the technology becomes more commonplace and prices decrease. There was a time when Bluetooth and infotainment systems were considered luxuries and yet they have made their way into cars that are very affordable.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure would need a serious upgrade before self-driving cars become the norm. In addition to designing sensor systems that can detect other vehicles and objects they will also need to come up with a universal system that will enable cars to communicate with one another. They will also need to detect and sense traffic signals and stop lights.
Safety Concerns
There will always be safety concerns when it comes to autonomous vehicles. Hacking and viruses could be a possible concern if the cars will rely on computers in order to communicate. Only time will tell if autonomous cars can truly become a reality within the next decade.
There will always be “old-school” drivers who will prefer to drive their own cars. However, wouldn’t it be nice to relax after a hard day at work and have your car maneuver its way through traffic while you surf on your laptop?
Jacqueline StarzAbout the Guest Author:
This post is written by Jacqueline Starz - Orange Coast Auto dealer Chrysler Irvine dealer serves the cities of San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and Mission Viejo with a great selection of safe and affordable cars.
