By Jack Armstrong ‘15

A few years ago no one could have imagined the possibility of a self-driving car. A real functioning car that uses sensors and computers to drive to its destination without the assistance of a human driver. The Google Self-Driving Car Project has been underway since 2010, when Google first announced it was developing self-driving car technology. As of mid-2014 these cars have driven more than 700,000 miles mostly on open roads in California and Nevada. Even though the car is still in testing stages, it has shown its tremendous potential for the future of cars.

However, there are many obstacles and questions that still arise, as one would expect from anything revolutionary, including who would be held liable in an accident, the retail cost of the cars, and most importantly, will people feel safe?

Teenage drivers are the most easily distracted behind the wheel. A text, a call, a late night or driving with a group of friends—teens are the most likely to make bad decisions impacting others on the road. In general, people aren’t good drivers. They get road rage, violate traffic laws, are easily distracted and become tired while driving long distances. In the United States, drivers kill more than 30,000 people every year, with 90 percent of the deaths attributable to human error. Simply, self-driving cars are safer. They may even be able to communicate with other self-driving cars on the road.

The first big leap towards the availability of self-driving cars is due in 2017, when Google aims to have its integrated system ready to market. Major automotive manufacturers are likely to follow by the early 2020s and start offering autonomous vehicles. It is unlikely Google will manufacture cars, but rather license the technology. Mercedes-Benz has also been developing driver-less technology called ‘intelligent drive’, which is a driving assist with manual override already available in 2015 model cars.

The possibilities of self-driving cars extend further than just safer roads. It also could mean better gas mileage by having systems that are able to monitor and control usage to be most effective depending on the conditions. Travis Kalanick, CEO of San Francisco-based taxi service Uber, expressed early interest in Google’s technology, saying he sees practical use in Uber’s business. The use of driver-less vehicles could also be of use to UPS, FedEx and other delivery services in assisting deliveries during peak delivery times, and help with same-day deliveries.

Insurance costs for self-driving vehicles are unclear. No one knows how insurance companies will respond to self-driving cars, but in the long-term, insurance is likely to go down due to increased safety. It is also unknown how much self-driving cars will retail for, but it is likely that as the demand for safer vehicles begins to grow, the costs of manufacturing will decrease.

The bottom line is self-driving cars are now a reality that could be only five years away if testing goes well. It is clear that the progress Google has made within the past few years has pushed the limits of what was thought possible; hopefully five more years will be worth the wait.