Autonomous cars are going to be the future. Some cars out there on the road already have the technology. Many more manufactures are gearing up to release these cars eventually. Whether you are ready or not, there are going to be many self-driving cars on the road in the near future. Start thinking of the future so you will be prepared for the changes that may come when that happens.
How-to Prepare Yourself for Self-Driving Cars : The Future of Cars
What Are They?
First, it is important to know what exactly an autonomous car is. These cars use sensors, cameras, machine learning and computer programs to drive just like a car would drive with a human behind the wheel. However, these cars do not need a person to actually drive the car, hence the term ‘self-driving cars’. Companies like Tesla, GM Cruise and Argo AI are just a few of the companies designing and building these cars. There are some versions already being tested on the roads. While not all of the autonomous cars will be electric, most will be.
Ride-Shares
One day in the future, you may have a driverless car take you downtown or to the airport. Ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft are preparing for then autonomous cars become the new normal. Having cars that no longer need drivers will really reduce these company’s operating costs. According to research company Frost and Sullivan, the driver represents the single largest expense in non-autonomous ride-sharing. A driver costs 80% of the total per mile cost. That is a huge incentives for these ride-share companies to quickly work towards this new technology.
Car Ownership
Many people think that self-driving cars will be the end of car ownership. It is impossible to fully predict this, but the thought is that people will no longer need to own a car when most of them are autonomous. The new cars will be able to come by, pick you up, and take you wherever you want to go. The majority of time, a vehicle is just setting around and parked. The concept of car sharing autonomous cars would reduce the overall number of cars.
Car ownership is expensive, so getting to reduce or remove car payments, gas, and insurance payments could be very beneficial. Forward thinking car insurance companies are already making strides to determine what car insurance will look like when these autonomous vehicles fully hit the road.
Self-driving cars are coming in the near future. While there will be a bit of a transition period as this new technology becomes mainstream, it won’t take much to prepare yourself for when these vehicles are everywhere.