Driverless Cars and Manufacturing

Some of the more advanced cars out on the road can do things like parallel park themselves and alert drivers when they are about to veer out of their lane. Soon, vehicle technology will advance to the point that driverless cars will be for sale. Though this might seem like something out of a sci-fi movie, it is a reality that car manufacturers are already working on.

In the UK, pod-like driverless cars will be available in some areas as early as 2015, though they are slow and will have to stay on specialized pathways. Driverless car technology that can be used on any road or highway won't be available until at least 2020, when manufacturers like Nissan and GM predict they will have their autonomous cars ready. Carmakers have a variety of hurdles to jump over before then, such as the fact that driverless cars are currently only legal in three states in the US.

Another issue facing automakers is the fact that the new technology will undoubtedly add to the cost of the car, which could turn some consumers away from the vehicles. Polls show that nearly a third of consumers would be open to driverless cars, but only 20 percent would embrace the cars if the price went up by a mere $3,000 over the price of a traditional car. A lot of money would have to be spent on advertising and education campaigns before the cars could really take root in the public consciousness.

Should driverless cars become a reality, it could have huge implications for the future of car manufacturing, as well as any business with ties to the car industry. The type of computer-based technology that would need to be installed in each car would likely require specialized training for workers on the manufacturing line. New facilities would have to be built, or current ones would have to be upgraded to handle driverless car technology. It could also mean that automakers would have to expand their tech departments to create the software necessary to make the cars run, creating new jobs. Dealers who have maintenance or repair shops on-site would need to train employees to service these vehicles. Even insurance agents would be affected, as they would have to figure out the risk involved with such vehicles and price their insurance policies accordingly.

Though this mode of transportation is still several years away from being road ready, it is most definitely coming. Automobile and other industries could be greatly impacted by driverless cars, especially if consumers begin to demand more of them. In the meantime, all anyone can do is sit back and watch as car companies clamor to be the first to market with their version of this futuristic, game-changing vehicle.

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