BY: CLAIRE KIM
Back in 2016, when the excitement of driverless cars began, no one imagined when this feat would ever come true. Predicting that by 2020, we would start to see pops of these vehicles on the road, it seems like the time is coming sooner than we expected. With big-name companies like Uber, Tesla, and even Honda, the race to make the best driverless cars in the market has been heated in the past year. Because this technology is so different than what most car companies have dealt with before, many are excited to see how they can integrate this new technology to make their cars better and safer. Many studies have shown, that common injuries in the US come from car accidents, so hopefully, with these self-driving cars, it can limit these injuries from happening. By allowing passengers to let go of their impulsive control while handling the wheel, it will benefit both the driver and the passengers to experience a safe driving session on the road. Also, as of recently, there has been a new driverless car company called, Drive.ai, which provides a taxi-like service that comes with a minivan that is both eye-catching and interesting with its screen communication system. Unlike other cars in the market, they are uniquely bright in color with hues of orange and blue making them stand out from the crowd. Although this paint treatment, may come across as childish and unnecessary, if you think about it, it’s actually a good marketing strategy because they will be more noticeable on the streets from up close and far away. In a sense, they’re like billboards, vibrant and eye-catching all the time. Another interesting part of this minivan is the fact that they have little screens on their vehicles, which interact with both pedestrians and automobiles around them. By creating this system, it promotes the connectivity on the road immensely and provides a more friendly image of driverless cars that may initially seem uncomfortable to get used to. Drive.ai has also followed the trend of having an app that allows people to pick up a van anytime just like Uber, so the whole system this company is aiming for is kind of like a taxi service, not so much a personal vehicle approach. Everyone knows that self-driving cars will be part of the next AI generation of tech, and it’s thrilling to see that our world is developing constantly in both the tech and automobile industry.
claire kim. 