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It's difficult to tell the direction driverless cars will take

Observer-Reporter - 4/3/2018

Adhering to the laws and guidelines of safe driving, as all automobile operators can attest, does not guarantee one's safety. There are speed demons, reckless drivers, drunken drivers, confused drivers and the deceptively dangerous slo-o-o-o-w drivers out there who make it hazardous for those who are responsible on the highways.

It's that way under optimum weather conditions. Add rain, snow or ice ? all three of which we get on certain days ? and it's no exaggeration to say roadways can be downright dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates up to 33,000 die annually in traffic accidents, most of which are caused by human error.

Technology is making cars and trucks more efficient and has led to another initiative to enhance safety ? the self-driving car. Proponents say that, unlike people, these autonomous vehicles are reliable, obey traffic laws and are not subject to distraction, fatigue and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They will not engage in road rage.

But as remarkable as technology may be, it is not flawless. That was borne out a couple of weeks ago when a driverless car struck and killed a woman in Tempe, Ariz., the first pedestrian to die in an accident involving a robot car. Uber, the operator of the vehicle, and the victim's family reached a settlement last week.

In the wake of that fatality, Uber discontinued its public self-driving tests in Pittsburgh, Tempe, San Francisco and Toronto. The Steel City is where Uber began testing driverless cars in September 2016.

Something else came out in the aftermath of that tragedy: a heightened awareness. A number of people who had embraced the concept of a driverless car, or were on the verge of doing so, may be a little reluctant to enter one now. And those who said they'd never get into a vehicle that didn't have a man or woman behind the wheel will have a stronger resolve to not do so.

The number in that latter group is likely formidable. The prospect of riding even two blocks in a vehicle with an empty driver's seat doesn't appeal to large segments of society.

Owners of cab, limousine or bus companies will disagree, but a self-driving car is an excellent concept. One, once perfected, that would remove the elements of human error and human frailty, making them ? in theory ? safer.

But robot cars are not perfect and making them so may take time. That would cost thousands of dollars, and there is no guarantee these vehicles will have the mass appeal to justify these investments. Even if these cars do become popular, they would not take over the roadways. There will still be a lot of drivers out there who are steering their own cars. Many people, quite simply, enjoy driving and are reluctant to surrender the wheel.

Learning to drive, getting one's license and using the car has been a rite of passage for millions of teenagers since the motorized vehicle was invented more than a century ago. That transition into early adulthood will continue. So will the passion people have for cars.

The driverless vehicle will continue to have an impact, but at this point, it is difficult to determine how much of one.