{"id":454,"date":"2016-12-17T09:00:56","date_gmt":"2016-12-17T09:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/?p=454"},"modified":"2021-04-14T09:10:14","modified_gmt":"2021-04-14T08:10:14","slug":"self-driving-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/self-driving-cars\/","title":{"rendered":"The Not-So-Distant Future: A Look At Self-Driving Cars"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re living in an age where there is literally more processing power in our pockets than there used to be in entire rooms full of computers. As if to complete that vision of modern science-fiction (that\u2019s no longer fiction), self-driving cars are joining electric ones in finally becoming a reality. Here, we\u2019re taking a quick look at the huge changes they\u2019re promising to bring to the motor industry \u2013 whether for better or worse!<\/p>\n

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Driver Benefits \u2013 Staying Focused<\/h2>\n

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Human error has always been a major factor in collisions \u2013 a recent US study estimated that over 80% of car accidents are due to human error. And let\u2019s face it; much as we like to think ourselves immune, there are all sorts<\/em> of ways for us to accidentally scrap our cars. Deliberately driving using drink or drugs, speeding, or blatantly ignoring road laws are all amongst the most obvious ways to cause a crash. But there also more innocent ways to do so too, like missing important road signs or driving when overtired, both of which could also see your beloved vehicle ending up in a car breaker\u2019s yard.<\/p>\n

Computers aren\u2019t physically capable of being prone to such distractions. They use algorithms to determine their stopping distances, and constantly measure their distance from other cars. They even \u2018talk\u2019 to each other to avoid accidents, which already makes them more sociable and considerate drivers than some on your morning commute…<\/p>\n

Wider Benefits \u2013 Economy Savings<\/h2>\n

\"futuristic<\/p>\n

Some of the most obvious groups of people who stand to benefit are the elderly and disabled, who would enjoy increased mobility with none of the usual dangers they\u2019d risk getting behind a wheel. On a similar note, driverless cars could potentially take some pressure off public transport systems in some cities, freeing up space on otherwise crowded trains, for example. What\u2019s more, they could bring a tangible financial benefit, with fewer car accidents saving on hospital resources and car insurance cost (not to mention accident recovery services in the case of the scrap cars themselves).<\/p>\n

But Self-Driving Cars Aren\u2019t Perfect\u2026<\/h2>\n

\"technical<\/p>\n

Having said all this, the effect on the economy might not be purely positive. Self-driving cars have the potential to eliminate a lot of jobs in the public transport industry, which could in turn actually end up having a negative impact on the economy. What\u2019s more, for all their immunity to traditional human errors, it doesn\u2019t mean that the self-driving software will never make a mistake. Right now, they still can\u2019t read human traffic signals \u2013 like those used by cyclists or traffic officers \u2013 which is a major flaw in the case of an accident. What\u2019s more, their lasers and sensors could be vulnerable to adverse weather such as heavy rain or storms, severely impacting their ability to keep their drivers safe.<\/p>\n

Even when they\u2019re supposedly working perfectly, no software is ever completely immune to bugs or loopholes, as anyone who\u2019s ever owned a smartphone can attest. Unlike smartphones however, a software bug (or even simply a misinterpreted command) in self-driving cars has the very real risk of actually causing a loss of life. There are also legal issues \u2013 in the event of an accident, who holds responsibility? The driver of the car, or its manufacturer? Maybe the developer who installed its software? Whichever way you look at it, these don\u2019t seem like questions that can be easily answered.<\/p>\n

\u2026And They\u2019re Still A Long Way Off<\/h2>\n

Whatever you think about the merits or dangers of self-driving cars, they\u2019re still quite a long way from widespread deployment on our roads. Even though some prototypes are now in their advanced stages, once they hit the roads they\u2019re still expected to be massively expensive. Some of the advantages self-driving cars offer actually depend on them interacting with each other, which means until they\u2019re in properly widespread use, drivers are probably still going to be very wary of them. All this means that you\u2019re unlikely to see the same sudden explosion enjoyed by electric cars.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all good news for us though \u2013 whatever you drive, electric, self-driving, petrol or diesel, we\u2019re still happy to handle scrapping your car for you. Just enter your details<\/u> into our website to receive an instant scrap car quote<\/a>, and we\u2019ll take it from there!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re living in an age where there is literally more processing power in our pockets than there used to be in entire rooms full of computers. As if to complete that vision of modern science-fiction (that\u2019s no longer fiction), self-driving cars are joining electric ones in finally becoming a reality. Here, we\u2019re taking a quick […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[22],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n