Why do Americans Fear Self-Driving Cars?

Self-driving vehicles have long been a thing of the future but it has become a reality maybe sooner than many expected. Small features such as park assist and lane departure warning have been implemented into many new vehicles as small hints towards self-operating vehicles. You may not see self-driving vehicles on your everyday commute to work but they do exist. They are being fine-tuned in labs across the world to ensure precision and full autonomy.

More advanced self-driving features have even been implemented into particular vehicles to show the possibilities of these functions, but this lead to more fear than excitement. Tesla was the first to experience this negative reaction after an individual died at the wheel of one their vehicles with the self-driving feature. This frightened many Americans who were initially excited about this new feature as they witnessed what could possibly occur.

That one deadly accident isn’t the only harrowing factor for Americans when it comes to self-driving vehicles. There are 2 major technical issues that need to be resolved before Americans can again become comfortable with the idea of self-driving vehicles.

Cybersecurity

Hackers were able to gain access to a Jeep in 2015, bringing it to a complete halt on a highway in St. Louis. They did so by accessing the vehicle’s braking system wirelessly through the entertainment system. Some vehicles even receive occasional updates on traffic and other conditions through the cloud which can be hacked as well. The issue of cybersecurity is real and needs to be resolved before Americans will feels safe in their self-driving vehicles.

Sensing the Surroundings

Google’s systems have programmed vehicles to easily map out the test driving area through intense programming of the city’s terrain. This is not the case for the various cities that commuters will be travelling in their self-driving vehicles.

Also, many of these vehicles can easily sense their surroundings when the conditions are clear. These functionalities are negatively affected in fog, rain, and snow. Manufacturers must first address these concerns if they wish for people to accept these innovative vehicles.

Self-driving cars have and still possess the ability of causing dangerous accidents. If you have been injured in a self-driving car accident, exercise your right to seek compensation with Michigan Legal Center. Our experienced car accidents attorneys can provide you the legal advice you need for an effective case. Give us a call at (800) 961-8477 or visit us online for a free case evaluation.