There are many misunderstandings about self-driving cars. Here’s the truth about them

Self-driving cars are expected to be a disruptive technology that will revolutionize many aspects of society. Although some self-driving prototypes have leaked details about self-driving technology in the news, the truth about what self-driving cars can and cannot do remains somewhat mysterious. It's no surprise that when information is scarce, many misconceptions about self-driving cars begin to circulate. Here, we introduce the truth about self-driving cars...

Myth 1: Self-driving cars can be easily hacked

In fact, in many ways, self-driving cars are safer than traditional cars. But this misconception originated in 2015, when several reporters from Wired magazine conducted an experiment in which their traditional, non-self-driving Jeep Cherokee (with Internet technology) was remotely controlled by a hacker and even "driven" for a period of time. However, this experiment was conducted in 2015, and it is now 2019, and technology has been improving. Moreover, even the earliest self-driving operating systems were basically safe when they were first released to the public.

In fact, compared with traditional cars, self-driving cars are more resistant to hacker attacks. Although there are many entry points to hack into self-driving cars, the complex interconnectivity between multiple sensors and communication layers of self-driving cars makes cyber attacks more difficult, especially if such sensors are also integrated with other technologies such as smart roads. In addition, there are many unique solutions to solve the problem of self-driving cars being vulnerable to hacking, and such solutions may even come from other industries, such as Israeli cybersecurity company GuardKnox, which protects the safety of cars, buses and other vehicles in the entire fleet by deploying security technology that protects Israeli jet fighters.

Myth 2: Self-driving cars will never become a reality because many people enjoy driving.

In fact, when self-driving cars are widely used, the fun of driving will not end. No car manufacturer will confiscate the car keys or prevent the owner from driving the car by himself. There will be no physical robot sitting in the driver's seat with its hands firmly on the steering wheel. The owner can drive the car by himself or leave such heavy work to artificial intelligence (AI).

Myth 3: Self-driving cars cannot make the difference between life and death in a traffic accident

Currently, the main focus of autonomous vehicle research is not on moral dilemmas and life-or-death decisions, but on preventing or avoiding accidents where artificial intelligence (autonomous vehicles) must make such decisions. However, it would actually be safer if most cars on the road were autonomous. On the one hand, it is difficult to determine whether a single autonomous car is safer than a human-driven car; however, if the technology becomes a global technology, the overall risk of traffic accidents will inevitably decrease.

Machines are significantly less prone to “human error” than humans. So far, all 16 crashes involving Google’s self-driving cars (which have driven over 2 million kilometers) were caused by humans. In any case, automated driving will complement human skills in all areas that can be improved (such as driver fatigue and driver distraction).

Myth 4: Self-driving cars are too expensive to be owned by the poor

While it is true that self-driving cars will cost more than traditional cars, the concept of owning a car will also change as the technology develops. First, most self-driving cars will be driven by commercial fleets (at least in the early stages), which means that when self-driving cars eventually hit the consumer market, the technology will likely be enhanced and improved, making them significantly cheaper.

The second reason is that the concept of "car ownership" will change dramatically. Today, people need to own cars because they can't drive without a driver. In fact, most of the time, cars are parked on the street or in a garage. Once cars can drive themselves, shared car ownership or subscriptions to use self-driving cars will become more popular and cheaper.

Myth 5: Self-driving cars are just like regular cars, but without the driver

No, the two types of cars are completely different. Traditional cars are built around the driver, but since self-driving cars do not need a driver, the design will be different. The interior design of self-driving cars focuses on passenger comfort and maximizes the use of space inside the car by removing unnecessary components such as pedals, transmission controls and steering wheels. In addition, the exterior design of self-driving cars may no longer need to face a specific direction, and may be designed in a round or box shape, and the seats may be placed to face all directions.

Because many people may still want to drive a car occasionally, not every self-driving car will look like a flying egg. For many cars, self-driving is just an option. But in order to adapt to driving environment technologies such as smart roads, the design of self-driving cars may still be a little different.

Myth 6: As soon as the smart self-driving software is successfully designed, we will see self-driving cars on the road

In fact, first cities need to change to accommodate self-driving cars. Smart streets, smart poles, street sensors, etc. need to be installed before self-driving cars can be realized. Cities need to change, and most likely for the better, because fewer cars will be needed (car sharing, subscription cars), and many spaces used for parking and garages can be redesigned as parks and places for walking.

Myth 7: Self-driving cars will always be an extremely expensive technology

Although developing self-driving cars is very expensive, once they become mainstream, they can save a lot of money in many ways. First, self-driving cars are safer, so less money will be spent on repairs and insurance. Second, self-driving cars are more efficient, so you can save fuel costs when driving and parking, and time spent in traffic jams. In addition, self-driving cars are more user-friendly, so they can help many disabled people return to work.

Summarize

While the future of self-driving cars remains a mystery, every so-called "truth" about the technology should be taken with a grain of salt.