Introduction
People have become accustomed to driving their traditional cars, thus regulating their comfort. However, with the development of robotic vehicles, our ability to monitor our defense is jeopardized because it would be delegated to machines. We are currently at risk of dying as a result of accidents caused by the few autonomous cars that have been produced. The robots can monitor the speed, the routes to take, and many other tasks that could be inconvenient for humans at times. Tesla, Volvo, Google, and Uber are among the leading contributors to the automation market, and the majority of them are used in developing countries such as China, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States of America, and so on.
Criterion 1: Safety and Road Tests
Currently, in America, few percentage of people use the robotic cars in their daily transportation while majority shun the idea and stick to their traditional vehicles. Self-driven cars accurately illustrate the disadvantages of machine technology in our modern society based on a set of criteria (Sherman). An evaluation on how the technology advancement can affect our lives unconstructively through frequent accidents because their safety record and road tests have not been attested. They are also expensive, have a lack of good choice in ethical considerations, and will lead to unemployment in America. The manufacturers of robotic cars have not carried out road tests on them which can prove that they are safe and secure. Their safety records have not been attested to be a 100% secure. The truth in their safety records shows that they are not to be trusted since despite them logging millions of miles with zero figure fatalities, most of those miles covered have been in real-life situations. For example, in Tesla's, fatal autopilot crash occurred when the cars' semi-autonomous mode was engaged (Sherman). Nonetheless, Tesla defended the report by claiming that the accident took place within 130 million miles of Tesla's cars while every traditional car usually crashes on every 80 million miles covered (Sherman). I believe that they have tried to hide the facts instead of owning up and finding a solution.
Criterion 2: Affordability
Driverless vehicles are much expensive due to their advanced technology than our traditional cars. Their affordability is another issue since manufacturers use a lot of resources in them that are expensive, they reflect the expenses incurred in their original purchase price. For example, the majority of the driverless cost over $100,000 that amount of Americans who come from middle class cannot afford (Goodman). Nevertheless, the manufacturers claim that they reduce insurance premiums for the owners thus saving their money (Goodman). Even though they may save our insurance, purchasing them is the main issue that they need to reduce to allow many people to purchase them.
Criterion 3: Ethical Considerations
Robotic cars have poor decision making a choice when they deal with ethical considerations. Human beings are the only ones who have clear decision-making when it comes to ethical issues unlike machines which do not care and have less understanding of nature. Automated cars do not meet the ethical road consideration standards that involve thinking as humans put their brain to work to make right choices. For example, when the machine is faced with a different choice of running into a group of young school children crossing the road or going off the bridge; it will kill the children and save its passenger (Goodman). Nonetheless, Google claimed that their automated cars have collision-avoidance systems, which can make them, stop once it senses a person or object (Mamiit). I believe senses and ethical consideration are two different things thus their claim is not convincing.
Criterion 4: Unemployment
Driverless vehicles will lead to loss of jobs of many transportation drivers thus contributing to increase in the rate of unemployment in the country ("Robots Will Steal Our Jobs"). Robotic cars do not need any assistance in driving since the machines control them thus replacing human labor. For example, the majority of transportation drivers especially taxi operators will be unemployed; hence leading to the poor economy in the country ("Robots Will Steal Our Jobs"). Nonetheless, according to an analyst who works for Forester, robotic cars will not take our jobs but will transform our jobs. For example, humans are needed in the repair and maintenance of robotic forklifts thus signifying the evolution of repair person ("Robots Will Steal Our Jobs"). I believe that jobs will be transformed but during the process, a lot of skills will be required thus the ones who are skilled in the driving sector will ultimately be rendered jobless.
Conclusion
The majorities of the robotic cars distributors frequently speak with pride and use a lot of flattery in their speeches trying to convince the consumers to be part of their advanced technology vehicles. Of course, that is a part of their jobs to make people believe in their products with the goal of making profits. Sometimes, there are some faults in their systems, but they would rather keep quiet about it than inform consumers who might panic thus avoiding to purchase them leading to the firm's loss. That is the price of business; however, they cannot hide the facts surrounding the disadvantages of their cars. We are humans, and that means that we are irreplaceable. Inventions are there to make our lives better. However, robotic cars seem to against this notion since they can easily cause our deaths due to accidents since safety records and road test have not been proven and carried out respectively. They are also beyond our budget since they are expensive. They are also poor in their ethical considerations and leads to unemployment in America. Despite their flaws, they have some advantages like they do not have sensitive technology that humans do not possess and they will also reduce car owners' insurance premiums. In overall, if insurance firms and lawmakers are intelligent enough, robotic vehicles should be removed from American roads to save innocent lives.
Sum up Evaluation
To sum up, the introduction of the evaluation provides an insight of all the criteria's discussed in the paper with the disagreement of the topic chosen of whether robotic cars are suitable for human consumption in terms of transportation. The evaluation of criterion 1 displays how the manufacturer's lack of attesting their safety records and road test of their products pose a significant risk to their customers; hence, risking their lives. In criterion 2 their affordability is also illustrated as they are super expensive for middle-class Americans. In criterion 3 their lack of having a chance to make a sound ethical decision makes them untrustworthy concerning saving human lives thus portraying their major drawback. In criterion 4, their effects on employment rate and economy in the country are discussed as mostly they will lead to loss of driver's jobs in the transportation industry. Finally, the conclusion provides the summary of all the criteria plus a lucid explanation of my opinion.
Works Cited
Goodman, Paul. "Advantages and Disadvantages of Driverless Cars." AxleAddict, 2016, https://axleaddict.com/safety/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Driverless-Cars
"Robots Will Steal Our Jobs, But They'll Give Us New Ones." Wired.Com, 2017, https://www.wired.com/2015/08/robots-will-steal-jobs-theyll-give-us-new-ones/.
Sherman, Erik. "It's Impossible to Find out If Self-Driving Cars Are Safe: Report." Fortune, 2016, http://fortune.com/2016/04/12/self-driving-cars-safety-study/.
