A degree of autonomous driving has been available, up to a point, for a while now, and automakers are pronouncing that cars will soon be able to drive for you. Cruise control has been around for years, as we know, and this is autonomous driving. Are we ready for a car that completely controls the drive? Automakers say that it is projected for a ten to fifteen year mark. However Google already has an autonomous car that drives at speeds of about 25mph.

Foreshadows Of The Future

We already have autonomous features in our cars that help us to drive, such as safety assist, curb assist and brake assist. These particular features are aids, but they are not completely driving our car for us. Just think, in fifteen years we could be driven by our own cars. There are safety benefits according to some automotive specialists and of course comfort benefits to autonomous driving. Big named companies are already in on the plans to complete this plan of the future.

How Can An Autonomous Car Really Drive?

The answer is simple - because of the use of sensors. At the moment, sensors control everything in your vehicle that has assistance. For instance, safety assistance will automatically brake if it senses a slower car in front of you as you are driving a certain speed. Braking assist is already on the ball with sensors because driver reaction is slower than this sensor and it can save lives and damage. In 2017 a huge automaker is planning to parade its cars around a simple route without input from drivers.

This is not fully autonomous however because drivers will need to be trained to ride in these cars. Autonomous cars will not fully be in play for at least another ten years. It will take more of these systems being tested and trained and actually used in real time before they will all be put into place in one vehicle that is autonomous.

What Could Be The Advantages Of Autonomous Driving?

The real advantages to having an autonomous vehicle could be quite surprising. Are the children rioting in the beack seat? Mom could command her car to drive while she sorts out the mayhem. You could ask your car to drive for you if you drop something and need to retrieve it. You could even ask your car to drive if you started to feel tired on a long journey. These are scenarios where autonomous driving would definitely be an advantage to the driver.

Are we really ready for autonomous driving? Remember the movie, “2001 A Space Odyssey” where Hal the computer took over? We have science fiction movies to frighten us silly about computer controlled vehicles. The truth is though that a real autonomous car would be touch controlled or trained to take routes for us, and the reaction times on these vehicles are much faster than human reaction already.

Safety would be the number one concern for engineers who create these vehicles. So as far as science fiction goes the active word is fiction. A horse would be more dangerous because it does have a mind of its own and thought reaction and fear. Humans are dangerous because of fear and distraction and intoxication as well. This could be a great way to get home without calling a cab or having a designated driver. There are some really great advantages to autonomous driving!