How are driverless cars going to make your life better?

We’ve handed off all kinds of tasks to robots and automation. Those hand-offs have shaped society for almost a hundred years . . . but autonomous automobiles might be the biggest leap forward since the Model T.

We recently pored over the biggest problems with self-driving vehicles. So now, let’s look at the upsides to letting automation take the wheel.

We’ll get into more about what we expect from driverless cars’ impact on dealerships in our free webinar on April 27, but for now, here are the top four highlights of what autonomous tech could do.

1. Safety

The main reason that companies, consumers, and government agencies should be excited about autonomous vehicles is their opportunity to decrease the number of deaths and injuries resulting from car crashes.

Every year, more than 35,000 people are killed on America’s roadways — and that number might be rising. Estimations vary, but somewhere around 94% of motor vehicle accidents are attributed to some level of human error.

People are easily distracted on the road, and self-driving cars provide an answer to that problem. In fact, it’s estimated that they could prevent anywhere from 75% to 90% of the auto accidents we suffer each year.

After all, if there are fewer human drivers, fewer human mistakes will be made.

Real-World Applications

There are several scenarios in which this makes sense — like that friend who has several drinks at the bar and still drives home. Yeah, he could take the bus or Uber, but he wants to have his car in the morning. With driverless tech, though, he wouldn’t be endangering anybody by “driving” home.

Driverless vehicles will be safer for the planet, too. As former Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx predicts, autonomous trucks and cars will be able to travel closer together, cutting down on negative environmental impact, saving fuel, and significantly decreasing the risk of those on the road.

Of course, there are plenty of kinks to be worked out before the tech is readily available — but it’s probably closer than you think.

2. Convenience

When driverless tech becomes available to the market as a whole, you’ll have more hands-free time on your commute. But the real convenience won’t be about having a little more time to focus on your podcast or take a snooze.

For one thing, the transition to full vehicle autonomy may be slower than that. While Waymo, Google’s self-driving development company, is building a vehicle with no steering column, the early models from other companies will likely still ask the driver to be paying attention.

Eventually, we will get to the point where elderly Americans and those with disabilities can safely take to the roads without concern for operating. That might even mean you can buckle the kids into your Ford or Nissan robo-car and wave them off to school — but that won’t be the first phase.

Mostly, early self-driving cars will offer the ability to free up your hands while you keep some attention on the road ahead. They’ll take care of pesky functions, like parallel parking or navigating narrow alleys.

And, if some dreamers have their way, it’ll be easier for lower-income Americans to share in ownership of vehicles they occasionally need or take advantage of reduced ride-hailing costs with Uber of Lyft.

3. Efficiency

Autonomous tech companies are aiming to let cars communicate with each other.

Instead of just hoping that a series of five people will see the taillights flash on the car ahead of them, the cars of the future should be able to wirelessly inform each other of an obstruction and execute a safe stop. This means they should also be able to warn each other about animals crossing roads, potholes, black ice, and more.

Driverless vehicles could also share information about nearby parking, orchestrate better merges and lane changes, and on the whole save U.S. motorists a lot of time and money. Traffic congestion cost Americans nearly $300 billion in 2016, according to Fortune.

This means that reducing the rate of automobile accidents won’t only be good for the people whose lives are saved thanks to autonomous tech — it also means you won’t be at a standstill on the highway for 15 extra minutes.

4. Affordability

Hear me out on this one, because it takes a little imagination.

There are a couple of ways that self-driving cars could enter the market. They could simply be made available at dealerships across the country, following the same model we’ve all known for decades (or with a couple minor updates).

But if Waymo (Google), Uber, or another automotive newcomer is able to run the table, we could see the dealership model completely redefined.

Yes, those with means will be the first to enjoy hands-free commutes. But eventually, as autonomous capability becomes the norm, we’ll see driverless cars become more and more accessible, which could potentially make vehicle ownership less of a barrier for American families.

The Next Evolution of Transportation

“It’s been 50 years since we’ve taken the last big leap in transportation, and that’s why this moment is so important,” said Secretary Foxx.

There are a myriad of questions being asked about autonomous vehicles. As automotive thinkers who are looking ahead, we’re fascinated by the conversation.