11/16 Essay (last one): Read the ~8 minute article “The Data Science Behind Self-Driving Cars” (hat tip to Connor). In 1-2 paragraphs, write what you think (or know) are the broad implications for society from the development and adoption of self-driving vehicle technology. What are the positive aspects, the not so positive, and the important considerations (e.g., ethical)?

Self-driving vehicle technology could be a great asset to society, but if it is not perfect, it could lead to unsafe roads. Self-automated cars would change the way we live because it would give people more time to do things. Instead of having to be focused on driving for 30 minutes on the way to work, someone could be calling a family member or working on homework, saving time later. It would be more efficient and save people time. Economically, this technology would displace truck, uber/lyft, and cab drivers, but it would also provide many jobs in the computer science part to create these new cars. Because there would still be new jobs opening, I think it would still be okay, but the question would be how do truck drivers and others learn how to work with software and creating this technology.

If cars become automated, it could lead to less freak accidents and less deaths due to accidents that is, if the technology is on spot and takes into account everything that goes on while driving. There are so many moving parts while driving and little things that we notice while driving that the car would have to know. It would need to be able to tell the difference between humans and cars, or when there is a semitruck. It would have to be able to detect construction and plan accordingly. I think all of this could be done, and the cars could be programmed correctly. One of the biggest positive impacts is there would be no intoxicated driving. This would lead to much safer roads because the chance for human error is pretty much erased from driving.