The topic of self-driving cars is sometimes controversial in the United States. While there is evidence that they could massively reduce accidents by taking human error out of the mix, others worry that computer glitches and similar issues may simply cause new types of crashes.
However, these reservations have not prevented some automated technology from making its way into modern cars. It is generally aimed at safety innovations. While not all cars have a full driving-assist mode like some vehicles, many new models from all brands have things like:
- Automatic braking systems for when something unexpected happens in front of the car
- Automatic braking systems for backing up if a driver doesn’t see an obstacle
- Lane-departure warning systems
- Automatic headlights, which can increase visibility and decrease accidents even during the day
- Blind-spot monitoring systems that tell a driver if another car is in their blind spot before a merge
These types of technology certainly can help. Automatic braking, for instance, may help if a driver is distracted by a cellphone and doesn’t see that traffic has slowed or stopped in front of them. In older models, the car simply continued on at its current speed until it crashed. With auto-braking systems, the car itself can sense the change in traffic — regardless of whether or not the driver notices — and can react a lot faster than a human could.
Unfortunately, even technological advances have not completely eliminated accidents, and we may never get to a point where they do. Those who get injured in these accidents have to know how to seek financial compensation for their injuries.