Autonomous technology is scary


For thousands of years, walking and horseback riding were the fundamental modes of transport. Settlement patterns were a direct reflection on transport options.

And then along comes an invention you’re familiar with.

A technological wonder that transformed cities for more than 100 years.

Development patterns changed because people could now easily travel incredible distances. Sometimes this invention – this magic box – would transport 3 or 4 people at a time, but often just one person.

This invention opened up access that was previously inconceivable. The sky was the limit.

I’m talking, of course, about the elevator.

And as if the elevator alone wasn’t enough, brilliant minds starting adding new technology to make it even safer and more reliable. Automatic brakes…electric power…and then — autonomous elevators. Self-driving elevators. It kinda freaked people out.

Walk into a box, let the doors close and lock you in, and trust that this thing would take you quickly – but not too quickly – the proper distance.

So here are some quotes from one of the thousands of opinion pieces about the dangers of autonomous technology as it relates to cars.

…as with any new technology, especially one involving the transportation of human beings from point A to point B, there are inherent dangers involved.

…there are not enough solid facts to create a baseline for safety standards. As yet, the industry is unregulated which is excellent for manufacturers but bad for consumers.

This alleged danger is a common scare tactic in reports about the future of transportation. I’m not a computer science expert. I am a traffic safety expert.

The first claim is there aren’t enough facts to create a baseline for safety.

Here’s a fact: traffic deaths in America are the equivalent of a 9/11 terrorist attack every month. That’s the track record of human drivers. So one possible baseline is that anything safer than a 9/11 every month is an improvement.

The second claim that self-driving companies are an unregulated industry.

There are so many regulations. Companies that manufacture vehicles for public streets have to follow all the regulations for vehicles on public streets — of which there are a ton.

The third claim that an unregulated industry is good for manufacturers and bad for consumers.

I’ll spare you the economics rant about a healthy market relationship between buyers and sellers. Instead, I’ll ask you to consider modern transportation regulations. Modern street design is heavily regulated. The designs that follow regulations, encourage dangerous driving behavior and lead to enormous loss of life.

So, back to the scary future.

It’s natural to be scared by emerging tech. I’m going to challenge you to consider that:

  1. humans are not safe operators,
  2. our current state of mobility is a public health crisis, and
  3. autonomous vehicles programmed to operate safely will be part of the solution.