Could Self-Driving Cars Arrive This Summer?

The very thought of self-driving cars conjures up images of roads frequented by human drivers prone to the occasional error of judgment and Spock-like robot-driven vehicles that do not comprehend human emotions or unpredictable behavior. Despite the legal minefield that makes the very concept inconceivable to many, it does seem that autonomous cars are going to arrive on our roads and sooner than you might think. 

If the likes of Apple and Google racing each other for pole position in this next generation of driving doesn't make you take it seriously, perhaps the fact that the Obama administration proposing to spend $4B to tackle legal barriers to aid the rollout of self-driving cars will?

Some will undoubtedly question why USA taxpayers should hand over cash to help the likes of Google and Apple so they can make more money and continue to tighten their grip on people's lives. The counter-argument to this of course is the amount of money that would likely save almost any industry that has an expense budget on anything even remotely related to transportation. 

A new filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests that Google’s self-driving cars could be set to appear on the roads of four US Cities as early as this summer. Meanwhile, Apple’s long-rumored “Project Titan” along with supposedly 600 employees is believed to be running into problems causing those involved to feel disillusioned with the progress in plans to deliver an electric car. 

On the other side of the Atlantic, the first driverless cars known as autonomous pods will be tested on the streets of Greenwich, in London, this summer. I am not sure if many people have realized this yet, but these pods are already being used on tracks at London’s Heathrow Airport. After thousands of miles on tracks, the pods have arrived at the defining moment where they are being modified for use on pavements and this is where the exciting progress will be unveiled for all to see.

Despite a vast number of obstacles, it seems that there is a thirst and determination to make autonomous cars a reality. This summer you could find yourself in one of several US cities or in London where driverless cars or pods are seen going around town. 

Although 2016 looks like we will see dramatic progress in this area and a glimpse into our autonomous driving future, it’s not until we begin to see dedicated roads for driverless vehicles that will we truly see tangible benefits. We could find ourselves looking back at this watershed moment many years from now as the moment that technology was about to disrupt the automotive industry.

Remember in the 80’s when people carried around gigantic mobile phones the size of military radios or when a computer consisted of a big and bulky tower with floppy discs? We are currently at that moment with electronic driverless vehicles as it prepares to change more in the next five years than it has in the past 50.

Today’s businesses in every industry are getting a digital facelift, disrupted by technology and our changing lifestyle. The way in which Airbnb and Uber have effortlessly disrupted traditional industries and revolutionized their respective sectors should be enough of a wake-up call to the non-believers. 

Every industry has learnt that the only way to succeed is to relentlessly pursue excellence and technical speed or else risk extinction. The understanding of customers’ constantly changing needs will involve the need to create new business models rather than relying on old ones if there is any hope of adapting and thriving in this digital age.

There will be new challenges but with that will come new opportunities. Today in 2016 the concept of driverless cars or delivery drones feels a little less crazy than it did 12 months ago which should be more than enough to tell you what the future holds.

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