toedtoes wrote:
I don't think self-driving cars will CAUSE more accidents. I think they won't PREVENT as many accidents as others think they will.
I think the lane departure feature is great and is a wonderful benefit now as most people won't be affected adversely by it on their commute (most people don't want to drive in two lanes at the same time).
I think other features like safe driving distances will get bypassed by people who think they know better. Too few people believe in safe driving distances, especially in rush hour traffic, and will find a way to bypass that feature. Heaven forbid they leave enough room for another car to move in to. It will be like the many people who belted their seat belts behind them instead of wearing them because they "got in the way".
On the flip side, there will be people who depend on the car's system so they can do other things. Yes, many people will pay less attention to the road and their surroundings because something else is doing it for them (that happens now with rear cameras and mirrors - people don't turn their heads to look for themselves and miss something important).
I also think that with more self-driving vehicles on the road, creating safer speeds, driving distances, and so on, that those folks who think their reflexes are better than anyone else (you know, the guy who drives 100 on his motorcycle down the freeway because he's such a great driver he's never been in an accident) - well those guys are going to think they can go even faster because they can anticipate the other vehicles better than before. And he's going to interact with non-self-driving vehicles at those higher speeds.
So again, self-driving vehicles aren't "bad", they're just not the instant solution to
the roads that some people think they are. And people who think they will do better than they really can WILL relax their own attention enough to let potential accidents happen. Those who stay a bit wary of the technology will pay more attention and will be able to adjust the response when needed (like when it's a kid who darted out in front of you and not a deer. Hitting the deer is preferable to swerving and hitting a tree; whereas swerving and hitting the tree is preferable to hitting a child).
What happens when the choice is between hitting either say a dog or a child. I might put my faith in a computer making the right choice more often than some people.
