09 Apr 2018

What now for driverless vehicles?

The recent death in Arizona of a woman after being hit by a self-driving car operated by Uber has inevitably cast a shadow over this area of technological development. In no small part this is because it is precisely the sort of incident the safety systems in such cars are supposed to make virtually impossible.

So what next for the technology? The investment of time and resources in these vehicles is such that it will continue, of course. Technological progress can not and should not stop because of one incident – however tragic. Advances will be made and the efficacy of safety systems will be refined, tested and demonstrated over and over again.

However, the key to adoption of driverless vehicles is public confidence in the technology. In the light of this sad event, this may be the hardest commodity to regain.