The Pros and Cons of Driverless Cars

03 May The Pros and Cons of Driverless Cars

We have all seen futuristic movies with kids riding hoverboards on sidewalks and driverless cars barreling down the highway at top speeds, passengers chatting away without a care in the world.  Those futuristic movies seemed like unachievable fairy tales until suddenly “hoverboards” became the hottest (never mind the pun) selling item during Christmas 2015 and driverless cars made their debuts at car shows across the world.

While this generation’s hoverboards don’t actually hover, driverless cars actually ARE operated without a physical driver which raises some questions in the insurance world and beyond.  There seem to be a lot of pros and cons.  Here are a few:

Pros:

• User error, which is one of the leading causes of auto accidents is virtually removed with a driverless car.
• Computers are more precise when determining stopping times, braking, accelerating, etc.
• More efficient operation can mean more efficient fuel consumption and wear and tear on a vehicle.

Cons:

• Driverless cars are expensive.
• Learning to operate or repair a driverless car can be difficult. Yes, they drive themselves, but if there is an error, they will need to have an override system in place.
• Unless everyone has a driverless car, they may not be successful in safety aspects. While removing the human element can reduce errors, it does not take into account other drivers.  There can be unexpected events that could cause accidents just as easily with a driverless car as with a standard driver.

We would love to see all our futuristic movies come to life as soon as the technology is available and safe for the masses.  Well, all except the ones where robots take over the planet, of course.  Until then, we ask that you remain safe on the roads and call us with any questions about your auto insurance.