Autonomous Driving is leading to so many changes in the world

HMG has created the Autonomous Driving Technology Center, which aims to lead on Autonomous Driving technology innovation. The center is focusing on making safer Autonomous Driving affordable for everyone rather than just as a novelty. Autonomous Driving will not only provide freedom but also a whole new experience. Bringing a fundamental change to people’s lives and to society.

In the movie ‘I, Robot’ people no longer drove their cars. Instead, they just entered their destination and let the car drive itself. Today, things that were shown in the 2004 movie are not so unfamiliar. Although the movie was set in 2035, Autonomous Driving technology has made rapid progress, making a sophisticated driver assistance system universal.

The system can now maintain a set distance from the car in front, keep the vehicle centered in lane, reduce speed on curved roads and stop and start automatically to mimic the vehicle in front. In short, drivers are increasingly liberated from the labor of steering, changing speed and braking. More importantly, Autonomous Driving is leading to so many changes in the world.

A safe world without auto accidents

“Experts estimate that more than 90% of motor vehicle crashes involve human error.”

Dr. Joseph N. Kanianthra, Senior Technical Advisor of U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration (NHTSA) made this comment during his visit to South Korea in February 2017. According to NHTSA’s research, 90% of auto accidents involve human errors while road conditions and vehicle failure accounts for only 7 and 3% respectively. This means a dramatic reduction is possible if cars can drive themselves. Experts predict that the number of auto accidents, which was 2.5 million in 2015, can be reduced to 0.7 million by 2040 thanks to the deployment of Autonomous Driving systems, which are not affected by human factors such as emotions and fatigue. Advanced devices such as radars, lidars and camera sensors have capabilities beyond that of humans. Furthermore, autonomous cars are free from the risks of drinking and driving, won’t take their eyes off the road or drive too fast or aggressively. Every year, traffic accidents cause the deaths of 1.2 million people; Autonomous Driving systems can help bring us closer to a much safer tomorrow.

Source: 2015 Traffic Safety Facts, U.S. NHTSA

More free time

The US Department of Transportation estimates that over $440 billion a year worth of time and money could be saved when 90% of vehicles on the road become autonomous

Automobiles are valuable primarily because they allow people to conveniently travel long distances. However, things began to change as more people bought cars and urbanization led to a high concentration of cars in cities. Although cars are still convenient and fast, many people are wasting their valuable time stuck in traffic. Autonomous Driving technology can help people get back this time and improve their quality of life.

If you are in an autonomous car, you can work, sleep, read a book, watch YouTube or Netflix; Autonomous cars can also process traffic information in real time to reduce your time stuck in traffic. It allows you to utilize your time during your commute much more effectively, making living off city much more agreeable. The US Department of Transportation estimates that over $440 billion a year worth of time and money could be saved when 90% of vehicles on the road become autonomous.

Source: Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2018

Fundamental changes to how we use automobiles

Here is how we have been using automobiles so far. First, buy a car, get it registered and then insured. Secure a parking space and park it when not needed.

The age old way of using our cars will fundamentally change with the advent of Autonomous Driving technology which allows you to share cars instead of having to own them. If you need a car, all you will have to do is to request it to come where you are, let the car take you where you need to go and then simply get out at your destination. Autonomous car sharing will help solve the problem of insufficient parking in urban areas and will also alleviate traffic jams. Furthermore, autonomous cars could even make money by itself combined with car haling service.

A new paradigm in logistics

Autonomous trucks will bring 24 hours a day freight transport operations another step closer to reality

Interest in Autonomous Driving is especially high in logistics businesses, because autonomous trucks will bring 24 hours a day freight transport operations another step closer to reality. It is also important to note that the fuel efficiency of the exact same truck varies by up to 30% depending on driver behavior. Autonomous Driving is expected to deliver a 10% reduction in fuel cost on average.

Most importantly, Autonomous Driving can cut down driver fees, which account for 43% of freight transport costs according to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). Trucks are especially suited to Autonomous Driving because they are taller, provide a better view of the surrounding and tend to be driven repeatedly on simple routes.

In other words, trucks are the natural platform for autonomous systems. In the future, Autonomous Driving will be a must in a logistics business. According to IHS Automotive, a UK-based market research center, 15% of trucks are expected to be fully autonomous by 2035.

Source: 2016 ATRI Research, 2016 HIS Market Automotive Research