Automatic cars: Looks like nobody discusses vehicle automation challenges
Looking at the challenges of vehicle automation (Self driving cars) we should first know that he passenger car is one of the most popular transportation vehicles in the world.
In the modal split of inland passenger transport in the European Union, cars accounted for 83% of kilometers traveled in 2014 . At the same time, 1.25 million road traffic fatalities were reported by the World Health Organization in 2013 [2]. Specifically, road traffic injuries were still the number one cause of death among people aged 15-29.
Hence, the European Union renewed its commitment to reduce the total number of road fatalities by 50% within 10 years back in 2010 [3]. Advanced vehicle automation has the ability to prevent a majority of these traffic accidents and decrease the number of fatalities on the road significantly
The degree of vehicle automation is addressed by a classification guideline by the SAE [4]. In the case of highly automated vehicles, SAE level 4+ systems offer access to mobility services for anyone anytime.
This includes people who do not currently hold a driver’s license. Hence, new user groups such as children, elderly and people with disabilities would have the chance to move independently around their community.
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In addition, the time spent in the vehicle could be used for something entirely unrelated to driving. For example, Americans spend 700 hours per year in their cars, whereas Europeans drive 300 hours on average.
These numbers emphasize the potential of conditionally automated vehicles (level 3 systems), that will allow limited side tasks for drivers. Vehicle owners thus gain a large portion of the time they spend in traffic.
As an entry scenario for such technology, it is interesting to take a look at traffic jams. In 2015 German drivers spent 38 hours in traffic jams on average.
In larger cities this increased to 73 hours (Stuttgart) [5]. By comparison, in the US the average time spent in traffic jams amounts to 42 hours [6]. Today, this time has to be spent actively behind the wheel driving or supervising ADAS systems.
Also, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions increase with greater traffic congestion. Vehicle automation can potentially improve traffic flow and optimize road usage, and therefore reduce the amount of traffic congestion.
Vehicle automation has the potential to lead to a change in how vehicles are operated and to eliminate existing idle times. The relationship between the human and the machine thus changes.
Vehicle automation challenge will see drivers become users of self-driving vehicles as well as consumers of mobility services. Humans will take over the steering wheel solely for pleasure, whenever they like and traffic, weather and road permit.
Yet, there is more than one unanswered question about this new technology.
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