Will you see self-driving cars on public roads within the next few years? Google engineers are optimistic. Earlier this year, Google announced that its self-driving cars safely took to California’s congested city streets, recognizing “pedestrian traffic, buses, stop signs held by crossing guards, and hand signals made by cyclists” at each step along the way, according to CNN. Google was even confident enough to let several media groups ride in them at an event just a few weeks ago.
Are Google’s Self-Driving Cars Ready For Widespread Use?
Although Google is making incredible progress, the answer is still no. The engineers are still working out some of the finer points of driving — such as merging lanes, turning right on red, and driving in extreme weather conditions. Even so, the cars will ultimately be even safer — and more capable — than human drivers. “A self-driving vehicle can pay attention to all of these things in a way that a human physically can’t — and it never gets tired or distracted,” Google official, Chris Urmson, wrote. “As it turns out, what looks chaotic and random on a city street to the human eye is actually fairly predictable to a computer.”
What If An Automated Cars Gets Into An Accident?
Will the automated vehicles result in accidental deaths? Will consumers have even more dealings with car accident attorneys? Experts agree that it is highly unlikely. After 700,000 miles on expressways, rural highways, and some light travel on city streets, Google’s self-driving cars have been in a grand total of two accidents — and even those weren’t the automated vehicles’ fault. One accident was the fault of a traditional driver, and the second crash happened when a human took over the controls of an automated car. Although auto accident settlements and wrongful death settlements are unlikely, personal injury lawyers concede that, if a crash were to occur between two automated vehicles, it may be an extremely complex case.
Google may be less than 10 years from releasing its self-driving cars to the general public. Consumers, moreover, have little to fear. The automated cars are extremely safe, and crashes and accidental death cases are not likely. Continue.
