Top 3 Problems (and Solutions) With Autonomous Vehicle Development

We are naturally inclined to resist change – from horse and carriage to automobile, from train to plane. Yet we’ve overcome hesitation and fear in transportation evolutions in the past. Developing autonomous vehicles (AVs) without considering consumers is a critical error happening now in the auto world. Here are three AV development problems we as an industry need to address to gain public acceptance; 

1.  Problem: public distrust of AVs and tech companies 

High-profile accidents of Tesla and Uber AVs have led to governments shutting down testing and consumer mistrust of the technology. Adding to the issue is the current environment of distrust in the wake of tech scandals (2017 study from The Verge), forcing AV developers win over consumers. 

Solution: Safety testing guidelines. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a mandate to SAE International (formerly Society of Automotive Engineers) to develop guidelines and a framework for safely testing automated features in a way that promotes innovation without risking public safety. SAE’s answer to the mandate is the Automated Driving Systems Safety Performance Testing Program, which includes researchers, OEMs and government members all working together to create safety guidelines for these new AV features. 

2.  Problem: lack of understanding of how new AVs work 

Solution: Hands-on experiences. The quickest way to build trust? Experience. So, we asked members of the public in Tampa to ride in an AV with an engineer. During the ride, they talked about the sensors, how LiDAR works, and saw the car stop as a pedestrian walked into the car’s path. Understanding and positive experience are essential to trust, which the AV industry desperately needs. We saw an improvement in surveys from riders after their ride and attitudes change. 

3.  Problem: misuse and misunderstanding of terms surrounding AVs 

Solution: A common taxonomy with descriptive terms that clarify function. Self-driving, autonomous versus automated – language matters, and when we let automotive marketing departments set the language around new AV capabilities without an industry-wide protocol, confusion abounds. Just as we at SAE developed the five levels of autonomy to clarify the levels of driver assistance technology, we are developing a common set of words and descriptions to be released in the coming months as part of the NHTSA mandate. Starting with clear language will help clarify features as they are introduced to the market and give consumers more confidence when comparing vehicles. 

With the automotive industry experiencing a major shift toward autonomy, it is imperative the driving public is not left out of the development equation. What other issues do you see in your understanding or the public’s perception of AVs?