Autonomous tech does not convince me of a bright future.

More automakers are focusing on autonomous tech. Smart cruise control and fully self-driving cars are starting to proliferate the market along with every level of automation in between.

Self-driving cars are all the rage right now. Automakers and even Google and Dyson all have autonomous cars planned or are developing the tech. Promo videos feature either the real car or rendered cars jetting along in a bright and sunny utopian future. There are images of self-driving buses shuttling happy people without a single crazy person in sight.

There will always be trepidation for change among car fanatics and really among fanatics of anything. It took me a long long time to appreciate hybrid tech. Even just a couple years ago, I thought all you could ever need is a good V8. Now, even just a couple years on, I can really appreciate a well done hybrid powertrain.

Despite this new appreciation for tech and change, I don’t think I will ever be onboard with autonomous tech.

Why I don’t like autonomous cars.

All I can think of is the 2004 movie I, Robot. Where all of a sudden the machines are trying to kill us.

I really don’t think I will ever be ok with taking my attention away from the road and other bad

More from Art of Gears

drivers. I do believe I am in the minority here though. The American public seems to really be backing self-driving technology in cars. This is evidenced by automakers putting more and more into cars, they wouldn’t do this if it didn’t sell.

As a driver, I can get behind hybrid tech because it aids with driveability while also being green. A case study in this can be found with the new Polestar 1. Autonomous cars take 100% of the fun of cars and take it away.

I also do not trust machines enough to give my life up to one speeding down the highway. We give up control in aircraft with autopilot. However there are redundant systems so if one goes down, another is right there. After that, the pilots are there ready to take over. This would not be the case in self-driving cars, people already do not pay attention. They won’t be once the car is driving. What happens when a deer jumps in front of the car here in Iowa? What if there is a person there that takes it by surprise?

There are plenty of ethical questions like the last one that automakers still have to work through as well. Who should the car save being the prime question. If there is a pedestrian and it comes down to hit the person or swerve and potentially hurt the passenger, who loses?

Next: Polestar reveals first vehicle, the Polestar 1

I really don’t think I will ever be a fan of self-driving vehicles on the open road. I will also go as far as to say no argument can change that as well.

Home/Cars