Articles, Level 5 Autonomous Driving, Smart Mobility

Breaking down the benefits of automated cars

Automotive manufacturers, suppliers and researchers are working on creating a more flexible and multi-modal transport system where automated cars play a significant role. There is no getting around the fact that automated cars are here to stay. More to the point, it isn’t hard to imagine a considerably different landscape in ten, fifteen years’ time, when it comes to self-driving vehicles.

These cars are going to play a significant role in changing our transport system forever. You have to imagine that achieving this larger goal is going to represent a challenging process. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with appreciating the benefits of the automated car. We have composed some of the most important benefits automated cars will bring to our future mobility. If you still need to be sold on automated cars as a concept, consider the following benefits:

Cut down on accidents caused by driver errors

Automated cars will cut down on accidents: Driver errors cover a massive arena of possibilities. Inexperience, drugs, alcohol, aggressive driving, and speeding are all examples. The number of automotive deaths caused by drugs and alcohol comes in at about forty-percent of all automotive deaths. A self-driving car could prevent those deaths.

Cut down on driver distractions

Another common cause for car accidents are distractions. The road can provide plenty of them, besides drivers are getting distracted whilst using mobile devices or interacting with other persons in the car. Self-driving vehicles could eliminate driver distractions of any kind.

Saving insurance and healthcare costs

This benefit is a logical consequence of the ones before: If there were less traffic accidents and deaths insurance and healthcare costs would drop significantly. The United States Dept. of Transportation currently assigns a value of approximately 9.4-million dollars to each human life. In that case the value would drop accordingly.

Less traffic congestions

Automated cars would reduce the number of traffic congestions: One of the main causes to traffic jams and other undesirable scenarios is inappropriate driving behaviour like during zipper mergings. Unlike human drivers, self-driving cars would act to keep traffic movement most efficient.

Reduction of fuel consumption

Automated vehicles are designed to drive on consistent and efficient engine speeds to save fuel. If used in a smart environment they are even able to adapt their pace to traffic light cycles.