The idea of self-driving cars has seemed like part of a futuristic world for years, until it finally happened and they started hitting the streets. While the automotive industry and many consumers were excited at first, that excitement seems to be waning as these vehicles get into more accidents, and even cause fatalities on the roads. Although these vehicles are actually supposed to be safer than other cars on the street, is that really the case? It does not seem so.
“The problem with these cars is that there is no human brain behind the wheel,” says Attorney Robert Goldwater of Goldwater Law Firm. “There is no rational mind that can recognize someone that is enveloped in their cell phone, or a child that may run out into the street at any moment. The current accidents are tragic, and only show just how important it is to have a human being behind the wheel.”
That is exactly what they show. In 2018, a pedestrian was killed by an autonomous vehicle in Arizona. While this was the first big news of the dangers of autonomous vehicles, people still blamed the pedestrian for the accident. Reports stated that the woman had emerged from the shadows and jaywalked right in front of the vehicle. That may be the case, and in the event that the woman had filed a lawsuit against the driver, she might have been found partially liable for the crash.
Tragically, she never even got the chance. If there was a human being behind the wheel though, she may have. A human driver might have seen her, even if she was in an obstructed area. They also may have been able to stop abruptly, saving the woman’s life. Sadly, a robot currently has none of these capabilities, meaning that even more people may suffer injuries from these crashes.
The idea of self-driving vehicles is certainly an exciting one. However, people cannot allow their excitement to overcome their compassion for human beings and their wish for everyone to remain safe on the roads.
