Self driving cars may seem like a futuristic idea to many, but in reality, it’s happening as you read this.
Companies like Mercedes, BMW and Tesla have released, or are releasing, cars with self driving features. These cars can perform many features, such as braking, accelerating and steering, with limited or no driver interaction.
Google is working on a car that won’t require a driver at all. It’s predicted that by 2020, 10 million self driving cars will be on the road. Some may be semi automated (able to complete certain actions with limited or no driver interaction) but others will be completely driverless.
That means no more speeding motorists or drivers overtaking on double barrier lines. It spells an end for drunk drivers endangering the lives of others or people driving while talking on their cellphones.
There won’t be road rage either. Driverless cars would pick you up, take you to your destination and fetch you again if you needed them. Traffic congestion would ease as well. Growing up Indian, a driverless car was a joke for really dark Indians who you couldn’t see driving a car because they blended in with the seat covers.
They gave a new meaning to the term, ‘Night Rider’.
The idea of driverless cars has been greeted with great elation from residents of Tandy Street, an area notorious for accidents. “Hopefully the driverless cars know how to use a traffic circle because no one else seems too,” said one resident who asked not to be named.
However, not everyone is pleased with the idea of cars not needing drivers. People took to the streets to protest the idea, saying that the cars, like the foreigners, would soon be stealing their jobs. “No one will want to get into my taxi anymore if they can get a smart car to drive them around,” said one driver.
The angry group then proceeded to burn down the nearby schools and loot shops in an attempt to voice their frustrations. “Self driving cars must fall,” they could be heard chanting as they carried away alcohol from the bottle store they just gained access too. Many people are wondering what else will be fully automated as technology gets more advanced and society progresses.
Hopefully there will be a municipality that is fully automated. Run by robots, it will be a place where service delivery is present, where rate payers money isn’t stolen and where tenders don’t get awarded to friends and family. Or is that too futuristic of an idea as yet?
