This week the Guardian confirmed that Apple are speaking to the California DMV. The exact terms of the conversation were not posted however we do know it was relating to self-driving cars. We are once again reminded that the future is almost here.
Self-Driving cars are the holy grail of transport systems. While not everyone can agree on the exact benefits of the self-driving car what is clear is that they will be a transport revolution. As with most revolutions there will be winners and losers, there will be early adopters and there will be people who resist.
Spearheading this revolution is Google, the mega company everyone loves to love. There are already Google self-driving cars whizzing around streets all over the world.
So why are we here at Experience Digital excited about self-driving cars? Here are just a few of the reasons why technophiles should be looking at the looming revolution with barely contained anticipation:
Zero Crashes
Ok, so that’s not entirely correct. Google Self Driving cars have experienced some difficulties on the roads however to date all bingles have been caused by the human drivers around the car and not the cars systems themselves.
This means that when all cars on the road are autonomous hopefully crashes, and their obvious costs and effects, will be almost completely negated.
Interconnectivity
One of the most exciting concepts of the autonomous vehicle is that all ‘smart’ vehicles can be interconnected. What this means is that your car will automatically know when there is any traffic flow change and can avoid it if necessary. It also means that autonomous cars can travel closer together: knowing, for instance, that the cars 200 metres ahead are all slowing down allows cars behind them can act appropriately without needing line of site. This will decrease travel time, allow more cars to operate on current grid systems and decrease congestion.
Cleaner Air
Humans aren’t very good drivers. That is to say even the best driver will occasionally over rev or otherwise use their engine in a way that is not optimal. This leads to unnecessary levels of carcinogens in the atmosphere and higher greenhouse gas emissions. An autonomous vehicle can offer constant and safer use of the engine. Faster travel means you are on the road for less time also decreasing greenhouse gas output, and lower congestion means that we don’t have all these engines running but moving nowhere.
SMART
A smarter car means there is huge room for innovation in the way that we can interact with our car. The car will become more of a living space without the need for a driver. Applications and innovation in this new and exciting future are nearly endless and here at Experience Digital we are looking forward to embracing these opportunities and opening ourselves to this fresh new horizon.
More time
Imagine if your car commute were the same as a train commute. You could prop your laptop on your lap, catch up on work or watch that cat video you promised your Grandma that you would watch ‘as soon as you had time’.
Being an internet development company means that we here at Experience Digital are in favour of anything that makes the world a smaller place, allows for more human interconnectivity and community building. The self driving car will do just that in so many different ways all while allowing us to surf facebook in the comfort of the driver’s seat.
If you ask us the future can’t come soon enough.
