blog




  • Essay / The autonomous vehicle: from science fiction to the development of reality

    We are in the year 3000. Cars are obsolete; Zero-emission, self-driving pods have long become the standard means of transportation. Such a world is no longer just an object of science fiction, but a realizable reality in the not-so-distant future. Decades after the invention of cars, they have already evolved from primitive pieces of metal to computers on wheels. However, the convenience they bring comes with significant risks, and while the Terminator may be an extreme scenario, it is certainly reasonable to be wary of technological advancements. As the use of autonomous vehicles becomes more widespread, current legislation is not sufficient to regulate the dangers that will arise and new laws must therefore be created. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay With the development of autonomous vehicles, the concept of human-machine relationships, and subsequently the laws that govern these interactions, must change radically. Lack of awareness of the dangers of this new technology can lead to horrific consequences. The most notable example is the crash of a Tesla Model S in autopilot mode on May 7, 2016, which resulted in the death of 40-year-old Joshua Brown. The car's sensors failed to detect a truck and semitrailer crossing its lane; he attempted to go under the trailer and the roof was torn off, killing Brown. The only explanation for how Brown could have missed the 53-foot trailer is that he was testing the car's capabilities. He had previously posted videos on his YouTube account showing Tesla's Autopilot features, including one titled "Autopilot Saves Model S," in which the sensors detected a side collision and automatically steered to avoid it. It had integrated these features, designed only to be used under certain conditions, into regular use. According to witness testimony, Brown had enough time to prevent the accident, but he showed no signs of slowing down and most likely assumed the car would break or maneuver to avoid the obstacle. What makes this event particularly terrible is that it was completely preventable and was due to excessive human dependence rather than machine failure. This tragedy served as a much-needed wake-up call to the general public, who vastly overestimate the capabilities of autonomous vehicles due to their presentation as cutting-edge technology in advertisements. In reality, full self-automation may not be possible for decades, and current technology struggles with the extremely complex activity of driving a car. Existing advertising and marketing laws simply need to expand to include self-driving cars and be defined more strictly so that automakers cannot take advantage of ambiguous regulations to oversell their cars or misrepresent them. in such a way that an average person unfamiliar with technical jargon can be lured into buying a car without considering the possible risks. Although companies may fear an impact on their sales, this will not hinder real research and technology development priorities. The most important thing is safety, and it is crucial that people understand that currently “autopilot” is a very misleading term. Unfortunately, in the case of this Tesla accident, valuable data that could have helped improve the car's performance..