For the past several years, there has been a great deal of press surrounding autonomous self-driving cars. The hype regarding this exciting new technology not only piqued consumer interest but investor interest as well. Billions of dollars have poured into such projects with major car and tech companies leading the way, and to their credit, several cities now offer routine robotaxi rides. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t problems with self-driving cars that persist. It also doesn’t mean these vehicles are completely autonomous. In fact, driverless cars handled by humans remotely is the norm for the industry today. And that’s not about to change anytime soon.
(The EV market is cooling–read all about it in this Bold story.)
Several mishaps and accidents related to self-driving cars have made headlines over the last few years. Some have been bad enough to even halt development and use in some situations. However, despite these problems with self-driving cars, progress is still being made thanks to some important safety additions. Specifically, by implementing driverless cars handled by humans remotely, improvements have been realized. But given that remote human assistance is costly, this begs the question as to whether autonomous vehicles are really worth it. The glamor and glitz associated with robotaxis and autonomous cars remains. However, once it’s evident that these vehicles are not completely autonomous, something is lost. As a result, perhaps it’s time to step back and examine the long-range future of self-driving cars in general.
The Current Autonomous Vehicle Industry
When it comes to the autonomous car sector, three big names top the list. These include Amazon’s Zoox, Alphabet’s Waymo, and General Motors’ Cruise. Each of these companies are making strides, though some have had more significant problems with self-driving cars than others. Specifically, Cruise suffered a major setback last year after a woman was dragged a distance by one of its autonomous robotaxis. It’s these types of problems with self-driving cars that have supported a change to driverless cars handled by humans. And for all these companies, this is now the standard. In command control offices remote from autonomous vehicles, technicians monitor and assist these vehicles. According to some reports, these interventions are occurring for every two to five miles of autonomous vehicle travel.
The command computer suites where these autonomous vehicle technicians work are well equipped with technologies. For example, Zoox’s office complex in Foster City, California, hosts about three dozen technicians. Each can access the multiple sensors and video cameras located on their vehicles as well as a graphical depiction of an aerial view. Should problems with self-driving cars occur, the technicians can plot a new route or path. Of course, most people aren’t aware these behind-the-scenes happenings. For Cruise, Waymo, and Zoox, driverless cars handled by humans have become necessary. It would now seem that each has resolved to the fact that complete absence if human oversight simply isn’t feasible.
Self-Driving Car Stats and Costs
Though some problems with self-driving cars have created some setbacks, statistics are showing progressive growth regardless. For example, Waymo reported that it is now providing 100,000 automated rides per week. This figure has doubled in the last few months. And at the same time, Waymo has begun charging for its automated rides. It currently operates in several cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix and Austin. Waymo has currently been approved for 22 cities surrounding San Francisco. It thus appears, Waymo is leading the way presently in terms of expansion of routes and its commercial model. Adopting driverless cars handled by humans has been a key step in allowing this to happen. Cruise and Zoox are doing the same in order to grow as well.
Notably, costs are a concern for these companies given the investments they have made and operational expenses. Most vehicles have been retrofitted for autonomous driving, often costing over $100,000 per car. There are also significant expenses related to servicing, storing, and recharging these vehicles. And now that fleets consist of driverless care handled by humans, human resource costs are notable. According to some reports, there is 1.5 workers in the industry per vehicle. Given this, one could argue that it’s less expensive to simply have a driver present. Understandably, this is why Waymo has moved quickly to a fee-based model given the cost problems of self-driving cars. Regardless, even with paid rides, making these endeavors profitable could be an ongoing challenge. The added labor costs of driverless cars handled by humans could be a gamechanger.
A Peek into the Future
Given the expenses and other problems with self-driving cars, new designs are being considered for these vehicles. Zoox is moving away from a retrofitted vehicle model to one better made for autonomous transportation. In their current prototypes, the vehicles lack a driver’s seat, a steering wheel, a dashboard, and gas pedal. Instead, they have two bench seats to accommodate four passengers. They also have a touch screen for passengers to adjust climate controls and door openings and closures. And they have audio speakers where they can communicate with remote technicians in these driverless cars handled by humans. Perhaps, this will enable safer transportation and lower costs at the same time. But this still fails to eliminate the human oversight component.
One of the possible strategies in dealing with the problems with self-driving cars may be one related to proof-of-concept. Some experts suggest that companies like Waymo may simply be attempting to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of autonomous robotaxis. If this can be accomplished, with or without driverless cars handled by humans, Waymo might then sell the rights. The value would thus be in its software and vehicle designs rather than on operations. Major car companies and even current ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft might have such an interest at that point. Autonomous trucking service providers represent another possible clientele as well. This, of course, remains to be seen, but it seems evident at present true driverless cars are a ways away.
Some Very Innovative Apple Products Have Shaped the 21st Century–Read About Them in this Bold Story!
