Top Gear’s tame racing driver, the Stig, elusive as he is, may quickly become a distant memory if – or more likely when – driverless cars hit the market.
Twenty years ago, the idea of everyone walking around with telephones in their pockets was beyond difficult to believe, yet along came the cellphone and now it’s impossible to remember life without it.
So when Google announced in 2010 that it was working on self-driving cars, everyone in the motor industry took notice because, although it’s difficult for most to conceptualise, there’s a real possibility that we’ll eventually be travelling at the hands of machines.
As it stands, seven US states have already passed laws allowing driverless cars to operate within their states. But although Google anticipates the cars will be on the market in three to five years, the majority of automobile manufacturers speculate it will be at least a decade before they’re introduced.
If all goes well, the benefits of autonomous cars would be endless.
In South Africa, which has one of the highest road death rates in the world, this would be life-saving technology. It would liberate those who can’t drive because of disability or age, and might even render driving licences useless.
Roads will need to be mapped with precision and people would be willing to live further from cities, drastically changing the landscape.
But it’s not only car manufacturers and consumers who are taking notice, insurance companies are already assessing how the driverless car will impact on insurance premiums.
According to insurance underwriter Warwick Scott-Rodger there are several factors being considered, the most contentious of which is third party claims.
As no person was driving the car and the car was driving itself, he queried whether the owner of the vehicle could still be sued.
“Calculating the risk premium is largely based on the driver’s credentials.”
“Would we then assess a driverless system on the quality of its manufacturing and no longer on criteria such as age, gender and having a driving licence?” he asked.
“The model of the car and size of the engine would also have little influence as speeds would most likely be governed by the limit demarcated on maps installed in the system.”
Scott-Rodger said there would be a lengthy transition period to driverless cars, meaning the compatibility of cars to “communicate” with one another would be important. But once this glitch was ironed out, the risk of crashing would be substantially reduced.
“Cars would then be built lighter, allowing for less fuel consumption. Cars would also be able to drive closer together, increasing capacity on the roads.
“These ‘robotic’ drivers should react faster than humans, not get distracted, tired or intoxicated and should have a 360-degree perception with no need to blame an accident on a ‘blind spot’,” he said.
Inevitably, the motor insurance industry will become more competitive, which is better for consumers.
However, with all the benefits the driverless car will no doubt bring, will it replace the thrill of getting behind the wheel that drives petrolheads to fork out for top-of-the-line sports cars?
Scott-Rodger said he knew what choice he’d make.
“If I was told that I would have an ‘invisible chauffeur’ who would enable me to kick back, listen to music, work on my laptop, have lunch, remain productive and in touch with the world and even watch a movie or two, it may be difficult to decline such an offer!” - Daily News