The future of cars is in electric models and self-driving technology. As a result, many of the top brands such as Mercedes are putting heavy research into these two areas. There’ll be plenty of legal hurdles, but self-driving technology could be one of the most important changes to the motor industry this century. Below, we explore how Mercedes has developed their self-driving technology and how this could change the world.
Legality of self-driving cars
In the UK, laws are still stringent on self-driving technology. The limit of autonomous driving is severe right now. For instance, Mercedes’ latest technology allows the driver to initiate self-driving on motorways at speeds of around 35mph – as long as the driver is capable of quickly regaining control in an emergency. This is known as Level 3 technology. The UK has responded by accepting that Level 3 technology will eventually be permitted, but legal changes to the Highway Code will have to be made first. As things stand, we’re still a long time away from a point where fully autonomous vehicles can freely drive on the UK’s roads. Nevertheless, legal innovation could expedite this process, by helping businesses adapt to new regulatory requirements, and in turn bringing benefits to many drivers.
How autonomous driving will change the world
Autonomous driving could change the world for motorists. For a start, self-driving cars could potentially reduce the number of traffic deaths. By eliminating human error and the danger of drink driving, autonomous vehicles promise to get rid of many of the threats of driving. What’s more, with AI driving more carefully, there could also be a drop in harmful CO2 emissions. In turn, this should improve fuel economy, helping motorists save more money too. And there are other exciting benefits that could be actualised including less traffic, more lane capacity and a reduction in travel time. Driverless cars seem daunting, but they can offer you many benefits.
Where Mercedes stands with self-driving cars
Mercedes’ self-driving technology is always moving forward. Currently, they’ve reached a point where – under certain conditions – a vehicle with drive pilot can totally operate the car. These driver assistance features can steer for you and adjust your speed, but you’ll still need to be supervising the car and watching out for danger. However, with the aforementioned Level 3 technology arriving, Mercedes drivers will soon be free to work or read a book while their car drives for them. They’ll still need to watch out for alarms, but it’s a major step forward.
Self-driving technology can seem like a prospect way ahead in the future. But it might be arriving sooner than you’d think. And by following the guide above, you should be all set to adapt to future trends.
