With the technology of self-driving cars, your daily commute in the future could be different compared to the current one. Gone will be the days of having to endure long hours of heavy traffic congestion during peak hours. Once this new technology is implemented, it will bring significant changes to the transport system.
Self-driving cars can be a great wave that can impact not only your commute habits but also the transport infrastructure and systems. Whereas there is a mixed reaction on the adoption of self-driving cars in our roads, most people are not aware of how autonomous vehicles will impact their commute.
Impacts of Self-Driving Cars on Your Commute
It is speculated that organizations may opt to purchase a fleet of autonomous cars to pick up their employees and drop them off every day. If this should come to pass, your commute will be more convenient and even exciting. In fact, you will be more productive since you can relax and work as you are commuting to work in a self-driving car. Moreover, you can enjoy reading a newspaper or even take a nap as you head to work.
Self-Driving Sustainability
With autonomous cars, your fuel expenses will reduce. It is known that driving under a controlled speed is one way to conserve fuel. Your self-driving car is capable of calculating stopping distances as well as maintaining a more even speed. Thus, you will be able to save more on fuel.
Eliminating Wasted Commute Time
Wasted commute time is one of the biggest complaints that most city dwellers who drive to work talk about. In many occasions, this time is said to be lost because it could be used for recreation, working or sleeping. Self-driving cars are the ultimate answer to this menace of ‘wasted commute time;’ instead of losing this commuting time, you will be able to engage in more productive or enjoyable activities.
Eliminate Human Error Accidents
One of the primary promises of self-driving cars is that they will substantially reduce human-error accidents. Most car accidents are majorly caused by driver error such as drunk driving, distraction, poor driving skill and general disregard for traffic rules. Once self-driving cars are commissioned, they will impact your commute by reducing the chances of you getting into a crash as you drive to and from work.
Enhance Public Transportation System
Urban planners are optimistic that self-driving vehicles will reduce operating expenses and improve accessibility for commuting through congested city streets. Though many cities have adopted advanced transportation options to enhance the mobility of their residents, the public transportation system hasn't changed that much. As such, most individuals believe that a system of self-driving vehicles for public commuting will provide a much-needed transit grid for a broader range of customized transit routes.
Self-driving vehicles are likely to offer point-to-point transportation without the need for inflexible transit systems and the related costs of traditional resolutions, thus positively impacting your commuting habits.
Getting Rid of Traffic Jam
Self-driving cars can be synchronized to communicate with one another. This will enable them to adjust to the ideal speed and signal disturbances ahead. This kind of communication will allow real-time traffic updates that help your car anticipate what is ahead, and then change the speed to avoid disruptions like traffic congestion.
According to Hesham Rakha, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech, if the roads are less congested and traffic flows pretty well, more vehicles are likely to use the roads. This would probably take us back to square one.
It is evident that you future commute may entail less stress and more leisure regardless of the type of car you will be driving. Pretty soon you may be holding business meetings or engaged in meditation from the coziness of your self-driving car.