Automated vehicles have the potential to improve our society drastically. We still have a long way to go until we observe driverless vehicles in European streets, however, with the rapid advancement of AI technology, the technological barrier may vanish sooner than anticipated.
OSLO – Artificial intelligence has been a hot topic for the past year, and it is no secret that this technology may revolutionize life as we know it. Mobility is an area that may particularly benefit from the further development of AI.
Many European countries have already developed strategies to implement automated and connected vehicles in the future, and testing of automated vehicles and surrounding infrastructure are also in full swing. It is thus clear that automated and connected vehicles likely will be part of our society in the future. This article scratches the surface of how our society can benefit from the introduction of automated vehicles.
1. Safety and efficiency
It is widely known that most traffic accidents happen because of human error. When we replace the human at the steering wheel with a machine, there is a potential to drastically reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on the road. Furthermore, as the vehicles optimally will be connected to one another, as well as the surrounding infrastructure, new opportunities for traffic efficiency may arise; a vehicle may choose the optimal route and routes with heavy traffic, which may in turn result in a reduction of bottlenecks.
2. Increased mobility
Automated vehicles may also improve the mobility of people with limited mobility, such as elderly people or people with disabilities who otherwise would not be able to drive a car themselves. This could, in turn, enhance the quality of life for people who might otherwise find it challenging to leave their homes.