The Pros & Cons Of Autonomous Cars

The first generation of autonomous cars to hit the roads in Europe,China, and the U.S. over the next few years won't be fully self-driving, but they'll be able to handle much of the dull, mind-numbing motoring that commuters do on a daily basis. You know who may not be excited? City administrators and law enforcement agencies. Google's autonomous cars have traveled more than 700,000 miles on public roads, and to date, they haven't received a single ticket.  That is great for motorists and pedestrians means fewer accidents and fatalities. In the U.S., speeding tickets generate upwards of $6.2 billion each year. Combined with other kinds of moving violations, including DUIs, these citations form a significant source of revenue for cities and their law enforcement agencies. Autonomous cars will not create a world of zero auto accidents and driver errors, but they  will reduce traffic accidents by 81 percent. The remaining 19 percent will presumably result from humans fiercely dedicated to screwing up. There would also be a better management of traffic flow, which would be monitored over a controlled system. Parking scarcity would also be resolved, as the car could drop off passengers, park far away and then return to pick them up whenever it is required. There would be fewer cars on the road, as families would only need one car to suit the needs of every member. This would sequentially cut down on carbon dioxide emissions, thus being more environmentally friendly. Some cons would be:

Firstly, car enthusiasts would most certainly disagree to give up driving their own vehicle. To many, driving a car means much more than reaching a simple destination, as it seems to be reduced to when adopting autonomous cars.

It would be an economic disaster, if autonomous cars were implemented everywhere. Job losses would be monumental, as there would no longer be a need for professional drivers, such as cab and lorry drivers. To add to this, autonomous cars would be much more expensive to buy, not to mention setting up electronic sensors on every accessible road or highway.

Autonomous vehicles rely heavily on GPS satellites. If a signal were to be blocked, this would affect the cars functionality. 

Finally, autonomous vehicles are still undergoing research and can’t be trusted to operate without error, until further advances are made. Until then, they should be kept as ideal prospect for the future, which should still be visualized with caution.