Picture getting into a car to go to the grocery store: Instead of the usual turn the key, put the car in gear and steer your way to the store, the car is driving itself. Instead of driving, you are more the co-pilot, just there to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Many Tennessee residents reading this may think this is straight out of a science fiction novel. But, the truth is that by 2035, at least one study predicts half of the cars sold in the North American continent will be self driving cars, or what the industry refers to as SDCs.
Of course though, this is not to say that the first one will roll out and everything will be all set to go. Rather, the anticipation is that the first generation of these vehicles, like the ones Nissan has promised are coming out in 2020, will feel more like the above mentioned co-piloting situation.
However, by 2030, Nissan is hopeful the cars being offered will be truly self-driving, requiring no human involvement.
There are, of course, some concerns out there. Not only are many probably just not used to this idea, but the threat of lawsuits could also end up impacting just where manufacturers go -- geographically -- with these vehicles. Will these cars be sold here in the U.S. right away, or will manufacturers attempt to go to other markets where the threat of a lawsuit may not be as high?
What is interesting about this though; is that while some may think a self-driving car is dangerous, the principal analyst for autonomous driver-assisted systems, points to the fact as these types of cars increase in popularity, the accident rate is actually expected to decline.
Understandably though, some may still be concerned. After all, a driver does more than just steer the car. Rather, drivers must always be on the lookout and ready to react. This means technological improvements must also be on par to handle the challenges drivers face on the road every day.