The idea of self-driving or autonomous cars has been around since at least the 1980s; however, progress and innovation toward these self-driving cars has only started within the past decade. The most notable developer of this new technology is Google, but companies such as Tesla, Ford, BMW, and others are beginning to develop their own self-driving technologies.
So, how does this technology work? On its website, Google explains that its cars work by using a variety of sensors and software. The sensors relay important data about moving and stationary objects around the car, work zones and railways, pedestrians and cyclists. The software installed into the vehicle will then use the data collected by the sensors in order to make changes to the course or speed of the vehicle and predict future changes.
The main goal for self-driving cars is to rule out human error and decrease the number of accidents and deaths that occur each year. Autonomous cars would allow the drivers the ability to not worry about falling asleep at the wheel or driving under the influence, or restrict the usage of cell phones while driving, because the driver would not actually be driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that 90 percent of all automobile accidents occur due to human error. The Administration estimates that self-driving vehicles would save the United States economy billions of dollars. Self-driving cars would also allow those who were physically unable to drive before (handicapped, blind, and deaf) the freedom to travel where they would like.
As of right now, self-driving cars are being researched and studied in California. The California Department of Motor Vehicles has begun passing laws to make developing and producing self-driving vehicles more difficult. In Google's autonomous prototypes, both the steering wheel and any pedals have been removed because they will be no longer necessary. The DMV's new law states that there must be a licensed driver in the vehicle when in use in order to take control if a problem were to arise.
The problem that the DMV and Google are facing is that the car Google is developing has neither steering wheel nor gas and break pedals. Those fighting the DMV's rules argue that the DMV is discriminating against the constituents of the benefits of autonomous cars such as those listed above. Google executive and robotic-car expert Chris Urmson defends Google's position and maintains that enacting these laws against self-driving cars is going against progress and laws passed in 2012 in support of driverless vehicles.
