Hands-Free Ride

Last year, Uber customers became some of the first people to try a technology straight out of science fiction: cars that drive themselves, no humans required. Until recently, the app-based transportation service always sent human drivers to pick up customers. Now it has begun testing autonomous vehicles in Tempe, Arizona, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The cars rely on computers and sensors to navigate their surroundings. Uber plans to eventually transition to vehicles that are completely self-driving.

“People have fantasized about self-driving cars for a long time,” says Jimmy O’Dea, a vehicle technology analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Now these vehicles are actually being tested on public roads and carrying passengers.”

There’s fierce competition among leading automakers and technology companies to develop autonomous vehicles. Waymo, a self-driving car service started by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has even accused Uber of stealing trade secrets to gain the upper hand. “Every major auto company is thinking seriously about this,” says O’Dea. A computer at the wheel could eliminate human error and make driving safer. But there’s a long road ahead before driverless cars become the norm.

Last year, Uber customers tried something straight out of science fiction. They became some of the first people to ride in cars that drive themselves. Uber is an app-based transportation service. Before this, it always sent human drivers to pick up customers. Now it has begun testing autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Tempe, Arizona. The cars use computers and sensors to find their way around. Over time, Uber plans to switch to vehicles that are completely self-driving.

“People have fantasized about self-driving cars for a long time,” says Jimmy O’Dea. He’s a vehicle technology analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “Now these vehicles are actually being tested on public roads and carrying passengers.”

Leading automakers and technology companies are developing autonomous vehicles. The competition is fierce. Waymo is a self-driving car service owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. It has accused Uber of stealing trade secrets to gain the upper hand. “Every major auto company is thinking seriously about this,” says O’Dea. A computer at the wheel could remove human error. That would make driving safer. But there’s a long road ahead before driverless cars become the norm.

Some vehicles are now equipped with sensors and extra computing power that give them the ability to operate without any input from a driver. They rely on GPS to navigate to a destination.

Radar helps a self-driving car sense its surroundings. A radar system sends out radio signals, which are an invisible form of light, and detects them when they bounce back off of surrounding objects. A computer on board the vehicle calculates how far away each object is. This technology provides accurate measurements of distance, so it’s especially useful in situations where objects are close to the car, like in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Some vehicles now have sensors and extra computing power. This allows them to run without any input from a driver. They use GPS to get to their destination.

Radar helps a self-driving car sense its surroundings. A radar system sends out radio signals, an invisible form of light. The signals bounce back from surrounding objects, and the system detects them. A computer in the vehicle figures out how far away each object is. This technology measures distance accurately. It’s really useful when objects are close to the car, like in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Cameras help by providing images of the car’s surroundings. The computer uses them to identify other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, traffic lights, and signs.

Many self-driving cars also carry a spinning lidar unit on top. Lidar works like radar, but instead of radio waves, it emits a laser beam, often consisting of invisible infrared light. Lidar combines various advantages of radar and cameras: It provides distance measurements and also reveals the shape of objects.

Cameras also help. They provide images of the car’s surroundings. The computer uses them to identify other vehicles, people, bicycles, traffic lights, and signs.

Many self-driving cars also carry a spinning lidar unit on top. Lidar works like radar. But instead of radio waves, it sends out a laser beam, often made of invisible infrared light. Lidar combines some advantages of both radar and cameras. It measures distance and reveals the shape of objects.

Software in the vehicle’s computer uses these inputs to identify objects based on their appearance and speed. Engineers have programmed the software to make decisions about how to proceed based on the inputs the car receives. Computer code tells the vehicle to obey traffic laws such as stopping at red lights and yielding appropriately. But it allows the car to ignore traffic laws when safety is at stake. For example, if highway traffic is going faster than the speed limit, a self-driving car might keep up with surrounding vehicles rather than slowing down and potentially causing an accident.

The computer also sends commands to robotic moving parts called actuators. These components control acceleration, braking, and steering (see How Cars Drive Themselves).

Engineers have programmed the software in the vehicle’s computer to use these inputs. The software identifies objects by their look and speed. It also makes decisions about how to proceed. Computer code tells the vehicle to obey traffic laws such as stopping at red lights and yielding. But it allows the car to ignore the law for safety’s sake. For example, highway traffic may be going faster than the speed limit. Then a self-driving car might keep up with surrounding vehicles. Slowing down could cause an accident.

The computer also sends commands to actuators. These are robotic moving parts. They control speed changes, braking, and steering (see How Cars Drive Themselves).

One of the biggest roadblocks to getting driverless cars up and running is ensuring that the technology is safe for the streets. During Uber’s testing phase for its self-driving cars, an engineer from the company rides along in the driver’s seat. He or she can take control of the car if needed. The same goes for Waymo. It recently launched the first public tests of its autonomous vans—with an employee in the driver’s seat—in Phoenix, Arizona.

There are still roadblocks to getting driverless cars up and running. A big one is making sure that the technology is safe for the streets. During Uber’s testing phase, its self-driving cars aren’t on their own. A company engineer rides along in the driver’s seat. He or she can take control if needed. The same goes for Waymo. It recently started public tests of its autonomous vans in Phoenix, Arizona. An employee sits in the driver’s seat.

The carmaker Tesla, while not yet programming its electric cars to be fully autonomous, has “Autopilot” capabilities on all its vehicles. The software can steer, change lanes, speed up and slow down, apply the brakes, and park on its own. However, the company advises drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and monitor the vehicle’s operation.

Since driverless technology is so new, many states don’t have rules about it. Currently, only 13 states have enacted laws or regulations relating to whether and how autonomous vehicles can operate.

The carmaker Tesla hasn’t programmed its electric cars to be fully autonomous yet. But its vehicles have “Autopilot” features. The software can steer, change lanes, speed up and slow down, and apply the brakes. It can even park on its own. Still, the company tells drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and to watch the vehicle’s operation.

Driverless technology is so new that many states don’t have rules about it. Only 13 states have passed laws or regulations about autonomous vehicles. These say if and how the vehicles can operate there.

Self-driving cars still have a long way to go to prove their reliability. Some have run red lights or been in minor collisions, most of which were the fault of other drivers.

But many experts hope that once driverless technology is fully developed, it could make roads safer than ever. Of all the potential benefits of self-driving cars, “the big one is safety,” says O’Dea. Computer-driven cars don’t get sleepy, drunk, angry, or distracted.

Self-driving cars are still a long way from proving they can be trusted. Some have run red lights or been in small accidents. Most accidents were the fault of other drivers.

Many experts have high hopes for driverless technology. They say that when it’s fully developed, it could make roads safer than ever. Self-driving cars could have many benefits. But O’Dea says that “the big one is safety.” Computer-driven cars don’t get sleepy, drunk, angry, or distracted.

Talking or texting, checking navigation systems, or adjusting music while driving can lead to deadly crashes. More than 30,000 people die in auto accidents in the U.S. every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Millions more are injured or disabled. Human error contributes to more than 90 percent of crashes.

Some experts suggest that human drivers might someday be banned from public roads for safety reasons, just as horse-drawn carriages are no longer allowed on most expressways.

Talking or texting while driving can lead to deadly crashes. So can checking the GPS or changing music. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that more than 30,000 people die in auto accidents in the U.S. every year. Millions more are hurt or disabled. Human error plays a role in more than 90 percent of crashes.

Some experts think that human drivers might be banned from public roads someday. The reason: safety. It’s the same reason horse-drawn carriages are no longer allowed on most expressways today

Self-driving vehicles could have other effects on our lives. “We’re looking at changing one of the most fundamental daily experiences that many people have,” says Bryan Reimer, an engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies driver behavior.

If cars can drive themselves, cities and towns may not need as many parking lots. Many people might get around with shared vehicles that never have to park. The cars could just move on to the next customer after a drop-off.

Self-driving vehicles could affect our lives in other ways. “We’re looking at changing one of the most fundamental daily experiences that many people have,” says Bryan Reimer. He’s an engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies driver behavior.

If cars can drive themselves, cities and towns may not need as many parking lots. Many people might travel in shared vehicles. These cars would never have to park. They could just move on to the next customer after a drop-off.

People’s jobs could change too. “There are a lot of people employed today as drivers,” O’Dea points out. Self-driving vehicles could reduce demand for those jobs. But “the field will create new jobs in software and robotics, so there will be opportunities opening up,” he says.

Reimer and O’Dea both believe that for the next several years, most people will still drive the old-fashioned way—so those turning 16 soon shouldn’t skip out on licenses. But many will get to ride in self-driving vehicles in the not-too-distant future. “Autonomous vehicles could change so much about how people get around, where they live, and what cities and towns look like,” says O’Dea.

People’s jobs could change too. “There are a lot of people employed today as drivers,” O’Dea points out. Self-driving vehicles could lower demand for those jobs. But “the field will create new jobs in software and robotics, so there will be opportunities opening up,” he says.

Reimer and O’Dea both think that most people will still drive the old-fashioned way for the next several years. So people turning 16 soon shouldn’t skip out on licenses. But many will get to ride in autonomous vehicles in the not-too-distant future. “Autonomous vehicles could change so much about how people get around, where they live, and what cities and towns look like,” says O’Dea.