Understanding the Effects of Self-Driving Cars on People's Lives

Rapid technological advancements have made self-driving cars a reality.

Fremont, CA: Self-driving cars will change the industry and the way people live. According to a WHO report, approximately 1.24 million people die in collisions worldwide each year, with that figure expected to rise to 2.2 million by 2030. Every year, over 37,000 people die in car accidents in the United States alone, with human error accounting for 94 percent of all traffic accidents in the country.

In this way, self-driving cars have the potential to reduce these numbers overall and potentially save millions of lives. According to reports, such vehicles could reduce more than 90% of U.S. road accidents by 2050. Aside from these benefits, autonomous cars will save money by lowering insurance, licensing, and repair costs.

Reduction of Carbon Emissions

As autonomous vehicles are likely to change our driving patterns, they are also said to have a substantial impact on carbon emissions. This is major because self-driving cars come with electric or hybrid versions, and given the fact that these vehicles drive more efficiently than humans. According to a study from the University of California, automated cars could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, but only if the vehicles are electric and shared.

Affordable and Convenient Daily Commute

Driverless vehicles will drastically improve the daily commute, making commuting more convenient and even exciting. These vehicles also cut commuting costs and expunge annoying parts of travel. Most people spend lots of their time in traffic while commuting. However, self-driving cars will eliminate such travel challenges, reducing travel time. Along with this, car owners will have more time to spend on other things, as autonomous systems will handle vehicles.

Car Ownership is Declining

With technological advancements, it is no surprise that the future of cars will no longer require a human operator to drive or connect spaces; they will drive themselves. Because owning a car is expensive, autonomous vehicles that are shared and electric could change this. People will purchase a mobility pass, covering everything from bus rides to scooter riders and a seat in a shared self-driving vehicle. According to researchers, autonomous cars could replace roughly 70 percent of passenger cars in cities today by 2035.