Self-driving automobiles and “smart” cars with advanced systems are often advertised as the first step towards an accident-free America. All of these new features are meant to take responsibility out of the hands of the driver in order to stop car accidents caused by human error, such as driver distraction or intoxication. While it might be impossible to halt the forward march of technology and science, should it be slowed when it comes to smart cars? Are these autonomous vehicles actually making roadways safer? Or, do they contribute to the problem in their own way?
How Smarter Cars Might Make Worse Drivers
The main concern in the argument against self-driving vehicles is that they actually encourage distracted driving, not deter it. Most self-driving cars allow the driver to input a destination into an onboard GPS system, put their hands on the steering wheel, and sit back while their car does the rest. No matter how “smart” a vehicle becomes, it will never have the full spatial awareness of a human. A driver sitting back and relaxing in a self-driving car, not paying attention to the road ahead, can become a significant hazard. Indeed, Tesla has urged again and again that drivers in their self-driving cars always pay full attention and be ready to take back control of the vehicle at any time. It is feared that most drivers are not heeding this warning.
Beyond the possibility of making driver’s dangerous complacent behind the wheel, smart cars equipped with new safety features have sometimes caused serious collisions due to those very same features. A top offender of safety tech turned dangerous is lane control assisting technology, which is supposed to make adjustments to the vehicle’s steering when the driver starts straying out of their lane. Some cases have shown that the lane control sensors malfunction or overcompensate, throwing the car into adjacent lanes and causing accidents. Whether these safety features actually get better in time is unfortunately left to speculation and the word of automakers.
Philadelphia Car Accident Attorneys Ready to Hear Your Case
Whether your car accident is caused by a negligent driver or a defective vehicle, you can come to Golomb Legalfor honest, reliable, and tenacious legal representation for your claim. Our personal injury attorneys in Philadelphia have more than 30 years of combined legal experience and a great track record of case successes. To learn what our caliber of service can do for your case, call 215.278.4449 or fill out an online contact form at your first opportunity.