Self-driving or autopilot cars are among the fastest developing technologies in the world today. An idea that was originally developed by Google, this company has put a lot of money in this project to such an extent that it will become a common sight in a few years time. Because of its fast development, a number of states have sought to develop laws to regulate this technology and this has ensured that there is government involvement in the process of technology that can be considered the future of driving. However, a significant number of states have yet to give self-driving car technology the recognition that it needs in order to become a part of the mainstream. Self-driving cars are the future because they are less likely to be affected by human error in such a way that prevents accidents, traffic jams, and loss of life that are associated with human drivers. This paper proposes that even though this has not been the case it is only a matter of time before autopilot cars are recognized by these states as being a necessary part of the future. This is because there will be need to make sure that the government is involved in the development process by seeking to protect the public interest through the use of regulations on the industry. Therefore, the more states that provide legal recognition for autopilot cars, the more likely it is that this technology will be able to be developed faster; helping in taking human beings to the next step of driving which will be much safer.
Advantages of self-driving cars
Self-driving cars have come to be greeted with optimism within society because they have the possibility of making life easier for a lot of people. Among their biggest advantages is that they can be easily be able to prevent such incidents as traffic jams and accidents that happen daily among human driven cars. They also have the potential of making sure that there is more efficient use of fuel, and this is important because it makes sure that there is a reduction of carbon footprint. However, despite the advantages that these cars have, there is still a long way before they are legalized in the United States. This is because most state legislatures and governments have still to be convinced that these cars are an important part of the future of driving. Because the technology for these cars is still being developed, the laws concerning them have not been fully thought about because there is still a long process to ensure that these cars come to common usage (NCSL, 2016). The development of self-driving cars, even though it is being conducted very quickly, is still has a long way to go and it is because of this situation that most state legislatures have not made the decision to ensure that there is the establishment of means through which to bring about their legalization. It is possible that they are waiting for further developments before taking any actions to not only legalize self-driving cars, but also to bring about regulations on the industry.
Involvement of Google in development
Self-driving car technology has for the most part been spearheaded by Google, which is a pioneer in the creation of these cars. It is this company that has put a lot of money in self-driving car projects to ensure that it is able to promote their establishment as part of the daily lives of all people. Google has developed the technology that has allowed self-driving cars to become well known and it is hoped that as they make improvements to it, these cars will become more accepted in society (HG, 2017). This company has also been behind the slow acceptance of self-driving car technology among some states such as California, Nevada, and Arizona, which have passes some laws to regulate the development of self-driving car technology. That these states have accepted self-driven cars are a necessary part of the future and have allowed for the development of ways through which there is collaboration between private developers and themselves to bring about the faster advancement of this technology. Google seems to be playing an important role in convincing state governments to legalize the self-driving car technology (HG, 2017). This is important because it shows the commitment that it has towards furthering its objective of making these cars the mainstream of life rather than human driven ones that are more likely to get involved in accidents. One of the most important assessments that were conducted on Google’s self-driven cars over many thousands of hours found that there were no accidents and very few errors during the entire process; showing that self-driven cars are much safer and more convenient than cars driven by people.
Advantages of legalization
In those states where laws concerning self-driven cars have been passed, there has been recognition that this technology has to be regulated in order to ensure safety and responsible use. This is especially considering that this technology is still at a developmental stage and has yet to achieve its full potential. Therefore, by passing laws concerning this technology, states are making sure that they become heavily involved in its development in such a way that they have an understanding of how it works. By having this understanding, it becomes easier for these government to take on any action that they deem necessary in order to ensure that there is the advancement of public safety and the promotion of the rights of both owners and those who do not own the technology. The recognition of self-driven car technology by some states is also an important step in making sure that they get involved in the various projects that develop this technology on behalf of the public (NCSL, 2016). The public needs to be made aware of all the advantages and the potential disadvantages of self-driven cars and this is a responsibility that state governments can handle very well. Therefore, the legalization of this technology at the state level is an important step in promoting the responsibility of government towards the public, which at the same time making sure that the companies involved in the development of self-driven cars are encouraged to work ethically towards the achievement of their goal of making their ideas a reality.
Conclusion
While self-driving cars have been given some legal recognition by some states, it still has a way to go before being provided with legal cover across the country. This is especially considering that the technology is still at its infancy and its full impact is yet to be seen by many of the states that should be regulating it. However, with the rapid development of a diverse number of technologies, it is only a matter of time before self-driving car technology achieves its full potential. There is need for the government to ensure that it participates in the entire process of development at the state level in order to bring about clarity to the way that it works as well as establishing a means through which this technology can be regulated. It will help in coming up with means through which greater safety standards, such as accident prevention, can be made an essential part of self-driven car technology. Legalization leads to the establishment of regulations in such a way that ensures that developers come up with self-driving technology that is not only environmentally friendly, but also ethical. The establishment of a level of government oversight is essential in promoting the public interest. It also helps to guarantee that there is more confidence in the technology, which will encourage more people, and companies to provide money that will help in the faster growth of self-driving cars.
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(2017). Are Self-Driving Cars Legal? HG.org. Retrieved from https://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=31687
NCSL. (2016). Autonomous | Self-Driving Vehicles Legislation. National Conference of State Legislators. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/autonomous-vehicles-legislation.aspx