The future of driving is almost here, and it will change the way we think about cars forever. Self-driving vehicles are no longer a thing of the past, and Google's Waymo has big plans for the next couple of years. The company is working hard on vehicles that can drive you where you need to go while you sleep or read the morning paper.
Imagine getting in the car and just saying where you want to go. The car starts by itself and drives you to the location by itself. The company has been working hard on this project for years, and soon they will become available for everyone.
Many Technologies are Already Available
Most of us have already heard about self-driving cars, but people often think that they are still decades away from reality. However, many of the technologies used to create autonomous vehicles are already being used on the road.
Front-crash prevention systems are a standard feature for most family cars in the past few years. It's a computerized system that applies breaks automatically, even if the driver doesn't react. Some car manufacturers have already released models with self-steering features that work well on highways.
The most significant change happened in 2017 when Google released the system on the market. The company won't build entire cars, but it will be responsible for the software and hardware needed for an autonomous vehicle in the near future.
Massive Change with Consequences
Switching to revolutionary new technologies isn't easy. We already saw that happen a few times in the past. Such a significant change puts companies under a lot of stress, as they risk losing everything if they don't adapt quickly enough.
Some estimations say that many companies in the supply chain will lose billions of dollars with the invention of self-driving cars.
Creating super-safe autonomous cars will make many things obsolete. There won't be a need for so many airbags and other safety features if cars drive themselves. Parking places will also lose importance because you will be able to tell your car to go back home and park itself in the garage. The changes will also impact services like Google Rideshare, Uber, Lyft, and so on.
Google wants to improve car utilization, which is not a bad idea, but it will bring a few considerable changes we must be aware of. We will soon be able to rent out a self-driving car, much like we can rent electric scooters today. You won't have to call a cab to get to where you're going.
Just open an app, state your address, and a car will come to pick you up by itself. That means that many people won't consider getting their car when they can just share it with other users. Some estimations say that the market for self-driving cars will grow to a whopping 87 billion dollars by 2030.
Technology That Changes Everything
With self-driving cars, it's likely that cars will change completely. Sure, they will still run on wheels and have glass windows, an interior, and so on, but a lot will undoubtedly change. For example, they won't need front-facing seats, or a gearbox, or any pedals. The manufacturing process will transform, and we will soon drive around in cars that feel like a small room rather than a vehicle.
Changing Infrastructure is Inevitable
When autonomous cars become the norm, the world we know will change accordingly. There won't be so many cars on the street, leading to many obsolete parking spaces and garages. That small detail will have a massive impact on real estate values.
The good thing is that cities will be able to use all of that space to plant trees and make the surrounding area much greener. Also, governments from all over the planet won't have to spend so much money on new roads. One thing is for sure, the infrastructure everywhere will have to change to accommodate the new normal.
Reduced Oil Demand
With fewer cars and more electric vehicles, the oil demand will go down by as much as 20%. While that doesn't sound too bad, it will create a considerable dent in the market, leading to a turbulent period at first. People will use platforms like rideshare.com to get around, and every car will travel much further than right now. The lower oil demand will create ripples that will be felt in every industry for years.
Safety Improvements
One of the best things about Weymo's autonomous cars is safety. Since the cars will drive themselves, they will stick to the road rules at all times. Drivers will be able to get drunk, and the cars will still drive according to the rules. DUI causes as much as 90% of car accidents. Self-driving cars will help eliminate that. That will reduce insurance costs tenfold as a result.
Sure, some problems will still occur, but this new technology will definitely make driving in cars safer than ever before. You can read more about self-driving cars and the latest technologies by visiting rideshare blogs.
Cheaper Taxi and Transportation Services
The taxi and limo industries will undoubtedly be one of the areas where self-driving cars will make the biggest impact. Small-scale transportation will become much cheaper as there won't be a need for drivers. The price for a mile will go down as much as ten times, and the number of taxis will also be reduced.
Not only that, as people realize the benefits of autonomous vehicles, but train lines will also lose a considerable part of their income as well. People will switch to cars instead of trains because of their convenience. Services like rideshare delivery should also become more affordable. The switch will affect every industry where there are vehicles involved.
Exciting Future Ahead
Waymo is at the brink of developing autonomous vehicles that will change the way we see transportation forever. Google is spending billions of dollars to perfect the technology needed to create self-driving cars, and if they succeed, we will soon find ourselves living in a world similar to the one in the movie "I Robot." The future is very exciting, and we can't wait to see how it will play out.
