Is Driving a Skill of the Past in the Driverless Future?

As we step closer to a world where autonomous vehicles are becoming a reality, it's natural to wonder about the role of drivers in the future. Will people need to remain behind the wheel, or will they simply become mere overseers of their personal transportation?

Transition to Driverless Cars

According to experts, the transition to a fully autonomous future will take several generations. In the meantime, the role of the driver will likely evolve rather than disappear entirely. Consider how many people today don't know how to ride a horse or grow crops, despite these skills being vital for their ancestors. Cars have only been around for five or six generations, a relatively short time in human history. We should expect a lengthy period during which driverless cars coexist alongside human-driven vehicles.

The public trust in autonomous vehicles will also need time to build. Even with vehicles that can perform most driving tasks in the near future, it will take much longer before the majority of people are willing to relinquish full control to these machines. Until then, a licensed human driver will likely still be needed for safety and legal accountability.

Advances in Autonomous Driving

Advancements in autonomous driving technology are undeniable, and we can expect to see significant improvements in the coming years. Highways and interstates, for example, are the easiest to automate and will likely be the first to see fully autonomous operation. However, navigating cities and neighborhoods, especially in complex urban environments, will require the assistance of a human driver. Additionally, parking at a specific destination, which involves understanding the nuances of the local environment, will be among the most challenging tasks for autonomous vehicles. Major changes in infrastructure may be necessary to facilitate this task.

There will always be scenarios where autonomous vehicles cannot handle the situation due to unpredictable or potentially dangerous conditions. For instance, driving through construction sites, off-roading, or traversing dirt roads are tasks that require real-time decision-making and manual intervention. Therefore, specialized applications will likely always require human drivers for these specific terrains or scenarios.

Future of Driving Skills

Consider driving as a skill like sewing, woodworking, or butchering animals. These were once common household skills that have now become specialized and unique to certain professions or hobbies. However, none of these skills have completely vanished from society. Similarly, driving is likely to transition to a specialized skill, required only in certain specialized applications and professions.

In conclusion, while the transition away from human drivers may take several generations, the role of drivers in specialized applications and complex driving scenarios will remain. As technology evolves, the nature of driving will transform, and the skills required will adapt. However, for the foreseeable future, driving will not become completely obsolete.