The new U.S. rules claim autonomous vehicles will save lives. The U.S. government released its long-awaited rules on self-driving vehicles, and according to the Department of Transportation, they are poised to change the way we live. The 116-page document lists many benefits, among them improved sustainability, productivity, and accessibility, but the central promise is that autonomy will pave the way for policies that dramatically improve road safety.
Even President Obama made the case for safety in an op-ed that heralded the dawn of our new driverless age:
Right now, too many people die on our roads?35,200 last year alone?with 94 percent of those the result of human error or choice. Automated vehicles have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives each year. And right now, for too many senior citizens and Americans with disabilities, driving isn?t an option. Automated vehicles could change their lives. Of course it makes sense that safety is top of mind?after all, these rules are issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?but it also shows how confident the U.S. government is in the ability of autonomy to end the epidemic of traffic deaths on our streets.
However, there are plenty of concerns from critics. Some argue the safety record for self-driving cars isn?t proven, pointing to the fact that even though these cars have logged millions of miles with zero fatalities, not enough of these miles have been in extreme, real-life conditions. Ot...