Why Is Self-Driving Car Important?

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William Shakespeare once said, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” By this he meant that fate does not decide what happens to one; rather, one’s destiny and life is in his or her own hands. One’s choices and decisions determine the course of events in his or her life. However, Shakespeare’s adage may no longer hold true. As self-driving cars flood the roadways, one’s life, quite literally, is no longer in his or her own hands. Human decisions are starting to become mute and futile in the car. Human lives are now being placed entirely in the “hands” of computers: a quite discomforting thought for some. For this reason, as self-driving car innovations are being made, many ethical concerns and issues are also arising. However, the fact stands that self-driving vehicles are the way of the future and, most importantly, a way to save lives and help the environment. First, self-driving vehicles significantly decrease the likelihood of accidents and the endangerment of public safety. In particular, according to research performed by the University of Michigan, computers are superior drivers in regard to reaction time, consistency, and speed control. These advantages allow …show more content…

Some are worried about ethical questions, such as “How will a car decide who to kill in an unwinnable situation?” Other questions include, “How should these cars be programmed?” and “Is it wise to hand over one’s life to a computer?” Though these questions are still unanswered, the fact that they exist shouldn’t mean that innovation must stop. If anything, these questions mean the exact opposite: innovation must increase as that is the only way for the unanswerable to become evident. In the end, despite these concerns and issues, the fact remains, self-driving vehicles are the way of the future. They are here and they are here to

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