According to carandriver.com, Tesla continues to prove itself to be the leading manufacturer of electric cars, with over 319,300 vehicles sold in 2020. This statistic clearly shows that the advent of electric cars is here to stay, and they’re bound to change the future in so many possible ways. Modern cars with new innovative features like cars made by Tesla have autonomous driving features. Cars like these are starting to assimilate the automotive industry, and they are changing the way humans interact with automobiles. Self-driving cars have also been the topic of interest for many ride-sharing companies who want to utilize the autonomy of these cars for profit and innovation of their current ride-sharing fleets. Here’s how ride-sharing companies are venturing into self-driving vehicles.
Uber Tests Fleets of Self-Driving Ride-Share Cars
In recent years, self-driving cars have been changing the way the transportation industry operates. Ridesharing companies like Uber have been allowed by the government of California to test fleets of autonomous cars which will be implemented in the years to come. As riders are saving for their own private vehicles, they’re looking for the best consumer reviews and ratings by actual drivers. Eric Meyhofer, the head of Advanced Technologies Group says in an interview with CNBC that their main objective in this endeavor is to make a better, less expensive, and safer alternative for the consumers of Uber’s services. Thus, riders have decided to approach autonomous driving from a different angle since the fatal crash that involved one of Uber’s vehicles. Uber plans to deploy their fleets of autonomous ride-share cars where the need for transport and other conditions are most favorable.
Lyft Uses Driver’s Data to Develop Self-Driving Cars
Just like Uber, Lyft has been making its move to incorporate autonomous cars into its ride-sharing system. They’ve been using the information of the drivers of both gas-powered and electric cars to make 3D geometrics maps which will be used by their self-driving cars. According to a post by Peter Ondruska, the head of Lyft’s AV research, they’ve revealed that they’ve used the data gathered by the car to map out thousands of miles, and this is all thanks to the vast coverage of their ride-sharing cars.
Ride-Sharing Vehicles to Change Transportation and Urban Design
As different ride-sharing companies venture into autonomous cars, the existing model of urban transportation is on the brink of change. Once the autonomous cars are ready for deployment, they can significantly reduce road accidents. Changes in urban design will be seen too. If self-driving cars become a staple mode of transportation in the future, people wouldn’t need more cars, thus lowering the number of car owners in the country. Most establishments will have less room for vehicle accommodations like parking lots and more space for citizen-focused areas like parks, residential buildings, etc.
In the advent of self-driving cars, fewer people will have road rages, fewer parking tickets will be issued, and ultimately, there will be less traffic. Self-driving vehicles are key components of making cities around the safe and fast, transportation-wise.
