Self-Driving Cars under criticism – A hate factor is developing among the general public
One of the largest self-driving cars development and research company Alphabet has its test facility in Phoenix suburbs in Arizona state. One of their new self-driving car Waymo has been under testing phase for more than a year now. Locals in that area reportedly complaint the media that they are frustrated and suck of these self-driving cars and often struggle to cross the road in the area. An expert reported that it is a challenge for the self-driving cars to drive in different situations where traffic is not like the same as it was a few decades ago. Even the human drivers sometimes face problems handling the certain situations on the road, then how these self-driving cars can handle those situations easily?
The Alphabet self-driving cars are annoying the neighborhoods, says more than a dozen locals to a media reporter in Chandler, Arizona. People working near the Waymo office in the area said that they reportedly struggle to cross the T intersections and even fear of walking along the road where these vehicles are being tested. Almost everyone said, “I Hate Them.” Which is not a good sign at all for this swiftly emerging new development in the world. People are fearing these vehicles and car engines even when they are not riding them.
What did locals say?
A woman said that one of the minivans of the company suddenly stopped when it was trying to make a right turn and she hardly saved herself from being hit by the van. Another man said that he goes to his work by using the same route, he gets so frustrated waiting for these cars trying to cross the intersection or even on the give way signs in the area. Sometimes, he has to illegally drive around them to cross them and reach at his workplace on time, which is even dangerous on a busy road.
The stories of the locals highlight a serious challenge which would possibly be faced by the self-driving cars in the future. This frightening situation which has been reported by the locals in Arizona can happen in most parts of the world upon the introduction of these cars.
How can this situation be controlled?
Here is a big need arise to educate the people especially the general public around the testing facilities that how these vehicles would help the world in the near future and how they would get benefit from them. They must be taught about the challenges and opportunities at the same time.
The self-driving cars are designed to drive conservatively and learn to master the situations that a human can handle on the road. For example, overtaking might be easy for these cars but merging and finding the gaps is one of the toughest situations on the roads when traffic high.
What Waymo say?
Upon speaking to the Waymo spoke person, he says that the self-driving cars are in the learning phase and they are continuously learning but meanwhile safety remains their top priority while testing any of the systems in general public. He further stated that they are using the feedback system to improve their technology though he declined to comment on the intersection problems and complaints by the locals.
The company planning to introduce a self-driving commercial taxi service by the end of this year with a driver to handle the hard situations to improve the services and technology in the future.