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Jesus Muniz

Trishia Briones

English 1302 227

7 March 2022

Autonomous Driving

Introduction

Self-driving vehicles are becoming increasingly popular and are said to be the future of

transportation. Nonetheless, with advancements in autonomous technology, more and more

issues have emerged in relation to the adoption of self-driving technology. In the following

articles, multiple authors have gathered research and conducted experiments to answer as well as

solve some potential problems that have emerged from autonomous vehicles (AV’s). The authors

analyze topics such as the current state of autonomous driving, what the future may hold for

autonomous driving, and the position of public opinion. Each of the authors somewhat believe

that autonomous vehicles can be beneficial to our present and future society, nonetheless, they

offer different methods in which to reach such implementation of AV’s. On the other hand,

currently, there is progress to be made for AV’s to transition into our roadways, which is what

ultimately brings skepticism between the people and AV technology. Thus, in this following

composition, various points of view will be analyzed to present controversies surrounding AV’s.

Current State of AV’s

Autonomous technology is classified by its ability to drive a car without the need of

human input, which most of today's modern vehicles have some sort of autonomous technology

built in such as parking, braking, and lane-changing assistance. This level of automation can be
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ranked in a 0-5 scale. According to Singh et al., levels 0-3 require a human behind the wheel

while levels 4 and 5 do not (3). Similarly, Martinez-Diaz et al., report that at a “culmination of

automation is reached at level 5, where vehicles are called to perform the whole driving task

autonomously” (276). AV technology has been in the works for the last couple of decades,

however, it hasn't been until recently when companies like Waymo, Tesla, and many other car

companies have tested their self-driving technology in public roadways. As of now, Singh et al.,

explain how “Waymo is considered the leader in the development of driverless cars, as its

autonomous cars have driven 20 million miles on the road and are closest to Level 5 of

autonomy” (4). However, “an autonomous car must drive around 291 million miles without loss

of lives to ensure a 95% equivalence to a human driver before commercialization” (Singh, et al.,

6). Furthermore, Martinez-Diaz et al., describe how “current automakers work in between level 3

and 4 vehicles and most forecasters agree that it will take some time before level 5 vehicles may

be commercially available” (276). Overall, according to the authors, we are still at a time where

autonomous technology is still being researched in order to achieve a safe implementation into

our public system.

Future of AV’s

It is widely speculated that a well-executed implementation of AV’s can have numerous

advantages for our society like traffic efficiency, reduced car related accidents, and a more

effective mode of public transportation. As a result, it is clear why such efforts are being placed

into AV research, nevertheless, it is important to assess the long terms of AV’s to identify which

methods of implementation prove to be the most optimal. Thus, Hancock et al., discuss how “in

coming years it may not be necessary for individuals to own a car, especially when they can
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summon one from a circulating fleet using a simple portal such as a smartphone application”

(7684). Subsequently, “studies have suggested that up to 30% or more of traffic circling

downtown streets is actually searching for parking,” meaning that traffic may be reduced given

that the vehicle is in constant motion (Hancock, et al., 7684). Such technological changes, “may

then foreshadow a repurposing of parking structures or parking spaces within buildings to

accommodate new housing, offices, or retail uses” (Hancock, et al., 7684). Likewise, Gruel et al.,

describe how increased ownership of AV used for daily driving results in “a lot of benefits

on a system level can be expected compared to our current mobility system” (23). On the other

hand, Hancock et al., argue that even though AV’s are showing to be an improvement in our

transportation system, there is also the impact on jobs such as truck and taxi drivers to consider

(7684). “Truck and taxi drivers may well have to find new forms of employment, some perhaps

supervising these individual vehicles from remote control call centers” (Hancock, et al., 7684).

Moreover, the cost of public transport may be affected since “the current cost-mechanics of

driving would change, to favor short trips in dense areas,” which will eventually reshape our city

structures in favor of “reducing downward pressure on sprawl” (Grual et al., 26). Although there

are multiple advantages associated with autonomous technology, the authors also present

contradictory issues that must be considered for an optimal integration of AV’s.

Public Opinion

Since AV’s carry out moral and ethical decisions through the use of computational

systems, it is difficult to say how a computer behind the wheel may react to human based

decision making. Hence, “many members of the public seem to have concerns about the safety of

such vehicles, undermining trust and confidence” (Schneble, et al., 2). Moreover, in an
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experiment conducted by Jayaraman et al., participants were placed in simulated crosswalks with

and without traffic signals in order to test the level of trust between AV and pedestrians (2). They

found that in “situations where the right-of-way is unclear, pedestrians would be skeptical of

AVs,” while in “signalized crosswalks significantly reduced the negative effects of aggressive

driving on trust” ( Jayaraman, et al., 12). Ultimately, they were able to conclude that traffic

lights, traffic signaling, and crosswalks are important features to consider when maintaining the

safety of AV’s, but most importantly, uphold a level of trust between pedestrians and AV’s. In

another study conducted by Schneble et al., interviews between different participants were

conducted to understand the level of knowledge the average person has on AV’s (2). When asked

about the pros and cons of vehicles, “participants generally had a high trust in technology, with

perceived beneficial aspects of the introduction of self-driving cars including environmental

aspects and higher safety on the roads” (Schneble, et al., 4). However, “the main negative aspects

were seen as a loss of freedom to drive oneself, and concerns about initial lack of safety and

security as smart cars are first introduced” (Schneble, et al., 4). Based on the data collected by

the authors, most people have mixed feelings on the public use of AV’s, in which the less they

know about AV’s the more likely they are to oppose such technology. Nevertheless, according to

the authors, communicating the knowledge of AV technology to the people would overall

contribute to a successful adoption of AV’s.

Conclusion

Although AV technology promises favorable changes, such as reduced traffic and

improved transportation methods, the information communicated by the authors show how the

current state of AV’s still has some technical challenges to overcome before a successful
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integration. Nonetheless, most of the authors agree on the fact that AV’s can prove to be

beneficial in our public transportation systems despite the levels of controversies surrounding

AV’s. By doing so, the authors suggest that companies must not only take into consideration

technological innovations but the word of the people as well.

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Works Cited

Gruel, Wolfgang, and Joseph M. Stanford. “Assessing the Long-Term Effects of Autonomous

Vehicles: A Speculative Approach.” Transportation Research Procedia, Elsevier, 15 June 2016,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352146516300035.

Hancock, P. A., et al. “On the Future of Transportation in an ERA of Automated and

Autonomous Vehicles.” PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 16 Apr. 2019,

https://www.pnas.org/content/116/16/7684.

Jayaraman, Suresh Kumaar, et al. “Pedestrian Trust in Automated Vehicles: Role of Traffic

Signal and AV Driving Behavior.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 28 Nov. 2019,

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2019.00117/full.

Martínez-Díaz, Margarita, and Francesc Soriguera. “Autonomous Vehicles: Theoretical and

Practical Challenges.” Transportation Research Procedia, Elsevier, 30 Oct. 2018,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352146518302606.

Schneble, Christophe O., and David M. Shaw. “Driver's Views on Driverless Vehicles: Public

Perspectives on Defining and Using Autonomous Cars.” Transportation Research

Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Elsevier, 12 Aug. 2021,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198221001524.

Singh1, Sehajbir, and Baljit Singh Saini1. “IOPscience.” IOP Conference Series: Materials
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Science and Engineering, IOP Publishing, 1 Jan. 2021,

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/1022/1/012028.