We are a distracted and destructive
force when behind the wheel. We drive while talking on cell phones, texting,
smoking cigarettes, playing with the radio, doing hair and make-up, checking
out hot pedestrians, window shopping, and many other things.
It is
commonplace for people to arrive at a destination without remembering how it is
that we got there. We are among a generation that feels a compulsive need to be
constantly connected. Also, the advent of smart cars takes attention away from
the road and onto touch screen displays for practically everything.
In
2012, 3,328 people were killed and 421,000 were injured in distraction-affected
accidents according to the National Highway Transportation Safety
Administration (NHTSA). In 2011, at least 23% of automobile accidents had
involved cell phones. This is equivalent to about 1.3 million crashes. Any kind
of cell phone use is unsafe, including Bluetooth headset usage, according to
Virginia Tech Transportation institute. It’s all the same and it’s all too
distracting.
All of
these statistics lead to one overwhelming conclusion, that the Google smart
cars may be the best thing that could happen to us. If we were to use the
Google self-driving cars, we wouldn’t have to worry about taking our eyes off
the road for the 5 second average time it takes to send a text message to
grandma about how you’ll see her next week and you love the socks she knitted
for you.
Google’s
self-driving car will never take its eyes off the road, thus freeing you to be
able to do all the unsafe things that you’re already doing while driving. You’ll
be able to pick out the perfect song to fit your mood out of your 10,000 songs
on iTunes, or look over business documents on your way to work. You’d be able
to catch up on that show that everyone keeps talking about and you’re annoyed
that you can’t keep up with because lack of time.
Most
importantly, you’d be providing a safer environment for not only yourself, but
for every person around you on the road. When are we going to come to the
decision that we’re trying to change the wrong side of the driving equation?
Why are we trying to make drivers better when we can just take them out of the
equation?
At what
point do we decide to give up our free will in driving to provide a safer and
more humane road society? At what point does it become morally deplorable to
put everyone at risk just because you’d rather drive than choose a safer option?
http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the infographic...
Like you, I worry about the creeping Wall-ee specter. But on the other hand, using cruise control doesn't necessarily compromise my free will. Is this a slippery slope argument/fallacy, potentially? Isn't it a line of thought which, carried to its logical conclusion, might shut down technological innovation entirely? And wouldn't that be bad?
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think of the movie with Will Smith, I, Robot. They gave most all of their freedoms for a "better" life. Many times I wonder if we will step too far into technologies as well, and surrender too much of our lives. In many ways I believe we are already beginning to do so in the realm of communication. This idea of a driverless car worries me. It may be "safer" but I wonder what unintended consequences may come about with this.
ReplyDelete