Synthesis Essay On Self Driving Cars

Since the dawn of time, humanity has improved technology in order to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively. However, particularly within the last few year, the development of technology has increased significantly. As technology continued to improve, many believe the time has come to replace humans with machines that can do the same job. According to a survey done by Delphi, 98% of industry respondents say they are automating to increase efficiency. (Source 11, 455) As this automation continues to take over, other aspects of everyday life will begin to change as well. One of these ways in particular is through the automation of vehicles (or "self-driving cars").

Over the last few years, many companies have been in the process of creating self-driving vehicles. Google has been developing self-driving vehicles under project Waymo, and said that they plan to launch self-driving taxis in Arizona by the end of 2018, and "by 2020, the firms say 20,000 self-driving Jaguar sport utility vehicles will be part of Waymo's fleet (Lee 2). Other companies, such as Toyota, have also taken

Of course, everyone knows how a human driver is tested: They go to the DMV, take a multiple-choice test, then drive with someone for a while, and then they get their license. For a self-driving vehicle, on the other hand, the process is not as simple. The companies that make these vehicles, such as Google and its project Waymo, typically have special testing facilities in order to ensure no one is hurt during testing. Vinton Cerf, an employee of Alphabet Incorporated, says that "from [Waymo's] safety report: 'Waymo has set up a private, 91-acre, closed-course testing facility in California specially designed and built for our own unique testing needs. This private facility…is set up like a mock city, including every- thing from high-speed roads to suburban driveways to a railroad crossing.'" (Cerf