Driverless cars, is this in our future? Driverless cars have become a growing topic in the past years. Recently, more information has become visible to the general public. Are these cars a good idea? I believe driverless cars are not needed in the near future. Development of these cars is an unneeded advancement in technology. Driverless cars, as of the technology we are now given, are not as reliable as an independent driver, they invade your privacy, and it would take more money to install technology in roads to be able to make use of these cars. Driving is a symbol of independence, in the sense that you are given the responsibilty and freedom to go virtually any location you please by driving yourself there.

Self driving is a commonly used way of transportation amongst many individuals. Driving is a way of transporting ones self from point A to Point B. When most individuals are driving, the average spped exceeds 25 mph. Driverless cars are only reliable for simple driving functions up to 25 mph. "The car can handle driving functions at speeds up to 25 mph, but special touch sensors make sure the driver keeps hold of the wheel. In fact, none of the cars are completely driverless." If driverless cars were to become a prominent part of every driver's life, would it be very practical? In the article, the author states what the cars are capable of, even with the driverless technology, the car will never be fully independent. The car is not completley driverless, this will be an unneccassary advancement until manufacturers create a truly driverless vehicle. So, using these new cars may be seemingly pointless, as the driver will still need to be paying attention and the car has sensors to make sure the driver is paying attention. This leads me to my next point, is a driverless car worth giving up your privacy?

Driverless cars not only have sensors on the wheels to make sure you are paying attention, they have cameras on your dashboard to ensure you are paying attention. "Manufacturers are also considering using cameras to watch that drivers are remaining focused on the road. While the driver watches the road, the car watches the driver." While some people may argue this is for the safety of the driver, there is no valid reasoning that there should be a manufacturer watching your every move to ensure you are paying attention on the road. Cars that have been driven that are not driverless have been doing, overall, well. While drivers are able to pay attention to the road regularly, having a camera creates an unwanted pressure to the driver. Adding the pressure of knowing you are constantly being watched as a driver can raise your stress levels, resulting in frustrated driving. Frustrated driving is an unsafe form of drivng, where as driving while relaxed and unwatched, relieves the pressure of knowing you are not the only person in the car. In addition, in the current days and in the past, has there ever been a need for manufacturers to put a camera in your dashboard to make sure you are driving safely? The answer to that question is no. Drivers, while not being watched, are expected to follow the laws and pay attention. Using cameras in the car and invading the privacy of the driver is an unneccasary addition, as there will only be use for the driverless portion of the car for up to 25 mph; therefore there is no further reasoning to begin developing these new vehicles.

If driverless cars are only useful for up to 25 mph, is there really any practical use for them? If driverless cars become the new form of transportation, there will be money involved that a lot of people do not have. Having smart cars requires smart-roads, ones that can communicate with the car to ensure the safest possible driving experience. "These smart-road systems worked surprisingly well, but they required massive upgrades to existing roads, something that was simply too expensive to be practical." When manufacturers create these smart roads complementary to their smart cars, who will be paying for them? The most likely answer is a raise in already inflated car prices. When the smart-roads are installed, hypothetically speaking, will the road be smart enough to communicate with all different manufacturers types of cars? Will they allow regular cars to drive on them? How long will the instillation take and will it be on every road? These are all things that require time and money. Manufacturers see the big picture of driverless cars running the roads, but that simply can not be the case, given all of the obstacles needing to be overcome and all of the questions that require answers. With all of the money it will require to run cars that are still dependent on drivers, will there be any valid reasoning to spend all of this money on new roads and new car development?

With all of the advancements in technology, there should be a threshold to the items consumers want versus what they need. Manufacturers should not be trying to create new technology, but improving what they already have created. Using driverless cars, still require a driver to pay attention and take control after a certain point, invade your privacy by watching you with a camera, and require more money to create the new road systems and create new cars. In conclusion, I believe there is no practical reasoning that these cars should be further developed. 