Autonomous Vehicles: New Mainstream or Menace?

Sam Wilson

As more and more auto manufacturers announce their investment into autonomous vehicles, the same question continues to arise. Should autonomous vehicles be legal and are they safe?

 

Currently, car accidents are the leading cause of death in people four to 34 years old. This alone should convince anyone that self driving cars are the future, and if cars continue to be human operated, then there is a large possibility of auto accidents staying in that number one spot. Yet, some still lay anchor on the side of the human operated auto industry. Autonomous vehicles have greater reaction and vision than a human person, and if every vehicle was autonomous, they could communicate and allow for an almost negligible amount of accidents.

 

According to Time Magazine, the average commuter spends 250 hours driving to and from work each year, and some, like my mother, commute upwards of two hours a day. This is a huge volume of wasted time not only for individuals but for businesses. Imagine if you or anyone else could work during your commute, instead of wasting countless hours on the road. This concept is especially useful for those of us who have work quotas rather than being paid by the hour.   

 

Autonomous vehicles are the newest technology to improve our lives. People opposed regular cars when they first came out, and autonomous vehicles are no different. Who are we to oppose the advancement of technology?