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Autonomous Vehicles

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Submitted By mikeroach
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Introduction

Currently there are great leaps being made in the automotive industry involving computers. The industry is removing the human element in regards to driving and delegating more of those duties to the computer. Some manufacturers have made it easier to park or stay in the correct lane while some manufacturers are looking into a complete autonomous vehicle (AV). These are completely self-driving cars which the computer system controls every aspect of the drive. AVs have the potential to alter the landscape of driving like it has never been altered before. They have the potential to reduce the number of deadly crashes, provide transportation to elderly and disabled people and provide more capacity on the road. This paper will address the overall safety benefit of these vehicles. The first section will provide details into the technology behind the AV. This technology is the main component of the AV and will provide the safety factors in the system. The technology is currently in some cars and will advance to cover more systems as the AV becomes more accepted. The second section will cover the safety of the vehicle. It will delve into the number of accidents currently happening with human drivers to the tests of AVs. It will also bring up different factors which cause human accidents which are not present in a computer. Finally the third section will cover the health benefits of AVs. Stress is a major cause of most medical conditions. Driving in some instances cause major stress. So if a computer is driving the car then that should lessen the overall stress. This section will explore this benefit.

Technology of Autonomous Vehicles

The development of autonomous vehicles is in high demand. Many universities and private companies are leading the way in this development. “Self-driving cars rely on

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