I was thinking about hazard automatic braking systems that will be installed in cars in the future. It seems like a great idea. It seems like it will avoid a lot of rear end accidents.
But what happens when your car has it but the car behind you doesn’t? Will you get hit in the rear end? Possibly.
Will something have to be done about this new type of hazard?
Will the insurance companies raise the rates for those who don’t have this system? It seems to me that it’s possible.
Will there be laws that mandate all cars must have it? What will happen if such a law goes into effect? Will older cars have to be banned from driving on the public roads? Will companies offer retrofits for cars that don’t have it?
What’s more, as cars become more automated, will these same questions come up again, for every advance in automation?
As cars become more automated, will roads, road signs and traffic lights have to be changed to make them more machine friendly? Will speed limit signs also have to have a barcode for the car’s ‘eyes’?
I see a large amount of changes in the future as advances in technology cause automation of automobiles. Some day today’s car may be seen as obsolete as the rotary dial telephone.
Update Mar 20 – Tesla just announced that they are going to upgrade their model S to allow it to drive itself. That ought to be interesting.