Self-driving cars will make human-driven cars the thing of the past – or at least that’s what many manufacturers want people to believe. Automated vehicles aim to make driving easier and safer for the driver. Many years of studies and tests may give self-driving cars the chance to take over the streets, yet, there are still many flaws that can put drivers in danger.
While car accidents can often be caused by user error, the dangers drivers face in self-driving cars may be caused by a defect the manufacturer neglected to see. If you plan on taking your automated vehicle out for a drive, you may want to watch for these dangers:
1. Hacking
Self-driving cars are packed with technology to improve their sensors, automation, service and safety features. Each computer implemented in these cars may raise the risk of hacking. Hackers may pose a threat to drivers by:
- Stealing private information
- Revealing the location of a driver
- Controlling the driving feathers
- Putting drivers and passengers in danger
2. Faulty programming
Self-driving cars require a lot of programming to get a car to understand its surroundings and drive passengers safely to their location. Programming, however, is like a book, there are many lines of text and despite the efforts to correct every issue, there may still be a misspelled word or apostrophe.
Because of this, an unfinished line of code could make the difference between driving home or driving on your neighbor’s front lawn. Coding errors could be potential flaws that raise several issues with an automated vehicle.
3. Battery fires
Most self-driving cars are gasless – meaning they are fully powered by their battery. While having a car run off its battery may save you on gas prices, there may still be dangers while relying entirely on battery power. There have been many reports where batteries have been damaged or spontaneously combusted, injuring drivers, passengers and bystanders alike.
If you were recently in an accident with a self-driving car, then you may need to know who’s at fault. Legal guidance can help you recover compensation.