Can Self-Driving Vehicles Reduce Accidents In The Central California Valley?
There has been a lot of attention lately regarding self-driving vehicles. As with all forms of technology, vehicles are becoming “smarter” as the technology used on vehicles improves. However, will the increased use of self-driving vehicle reduce the number of traffic accidents in California and the United States?
Autonomous Vehicles Will Reduce Traffic Accidents
This was the conclusion of a report by the consulting firm of McKinsey & Co. The Wall Street Journal published a story last year stating that autonomous vehicles would reduce the number of traffic accidents by 90 percent and save Americans more than $190 billion in damages from traffic accident each year. The information was from the report by McKinsey & Co. However, over one year later, we see that not all self-driving vehicles prevent accidents. Some of these vehicles are responsible for traffic accidents.
In early 2016, a Google self-driving vehicle was involved in a traffic accident with a bus in Mountain View, California. In May, a Telsa self-driving vehicle was involved in a traffic accident where the driver was killed when the vehicle did not engage the brakes causing a collision. In another Telsa accident, an SUV went through a guardrail in Montana. It is obvious that autonomous vehicles are not immune from traffic accidents.
New Technology For Vehicle Safety
Self-driving vehicles are still quite a few years away from completely taking over the interstates, highways, and streets. However, the technology that has been invented as part of the self-driving vehicle trend is reducing the number of traffic accidents.
For example, automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems are reducing the number of rear-end collisions by applying the brakes, if the driver fails to do so when approaching another vehicle. By September 2022, AEB systems will be a standard feature on many vehicles.
In addition to AEB systems, several other features available on today’s vehicles can help drivers avoid traffic accidents.
- Active Park Assist – Helps drivers safely parallel park. The driver does nothing but sit and watch while the car parks itself.
- Adaptive Headlights – Headlights change to improve visibility based on the conditions.
- Electronic Stability Control – Slows individual wheels during a turn to keep the vehicle on course.
- 360-Degree Cameras – Improve driver’s visibility when backing up and parking.
- Collision Warning System – Provides alerts to warn the driver when a collision is imminent.
- Drowsiness Alert – Alerts the driver when he or she needs to take a break.
- Adaptive Cruise Control – Monitors speed and distance to avoid a collision.
- Lane-Keep Assist – Helps prevent drivers from crossing into another lane.
Fresno Car Accident Attorneys
Unfortunately, not even the smartest car can stop all driver error. Traffic accidents continue to happen regardless of how safe our vehicles may be. If you are injured in a traffic accident, let our Fresno car accident attorneys help you recover compensation from the driver who caused the collision.
Call Torem & Associates at (888) 500-5000 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney. You can chat with a representative online or use our convenient online contact form to request more information or an appointment with an attorney.
Categories: