Opinion: We are Too Lazy for Self Driving Cars
New technology is great. I'm always fascinated with the latest tech that hits store shelves. However, as much as I love it, it doesn't mean I think all of it is good.
Perfect example, all the autonomous stuff that's being added into our vehicles. Automatic braking? 360 camera view? Self driving cars? I'm sorry, but we, as humans, are too lazy for any of this.
What do I mean? We already don't pay attention to our surroundings while driving, all these "safety" features are just making people pay less attention. Some of that has to do with the diminishing lack of personal responsibility (that's a conversation for another day) but also with the simple fact that if we're told something else will do it for us, we'll let it.
Perfect example is Tesla vehicles. These cars are a technological marvel. They do have the ability to "drive" themselves. However, they DO NOT have the ability to react to a sudden situation on the road. Videos have surfaced over the last couple of months of drivers asleep, ASLEEP!, behind the wheel of their Tesla on the highway.
I'd rather have somebody texting while driving then behind the wheel of a "self driving" vehicle right now. Elon Musk, you're a brilliant man. You've got some awesome ideas for the future. But this is not for the people of today. As a matter of fact, I believe all this technology needs to stay in the lab. We, as humans, as beings that would rather have something else do something for us, are not ready for any of this.
We're lazy and stupid and these videos are just proof.