We can truly see the future coming in fast. One example of such is the launch of driverless cars. Drivers may share the roads with some automated cars soon, specifically in Ontario. Ontario's Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced a pilot project on Tuesday that allows the test drive for these cars starting on the first of January next year.
"Ontario will lead Canada as the first province to allow the testing of automated vehicles and related technology on our roads. Significant work has been done to ensure that our province's road safety will not be compromised," said Del Duca in a speech at the University of Waterloo.
There's a catch. These tests won't be conducted without someone navigating the vehicle. An operator will be behind the wheel and ready to take over in case the cars encounter problems. Just in case a crash happens, the human operator will take the blame.
"God forbid if there's a collision that happens during the pilot process, the individual who would be in that car with the appropriate license would be responsible," he added.
From Highways to narrow streets, there are no restrictions on where these cars may go. They are capable of navigating through sensors, artificial intelligence, and global positioning systems. The government says automated vehicle technologies can improve fuel efficiency and help reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and driver distraction.
Barrie Kirk, the executive director of the Canadian Automated Vehicles Centre of Excellence, called the announcement a "big step forward" and that self-driving cars could lead to "much safer" roads. He believes that the automated vehicles could reduce 80% of car crashes, deaths and injuries. Computers never get distracted, are never drunk and they have senses that span 360 degrees, 30 times a second greater situational awareness.
The government says this is a great opportunity for companies to do a research and maybe a try to develop one as well that can be available for consumers soon. Very few companies in Ontario are building automated cars, however, as technology progresses, Canadian businesses will have a chance to capitalize.
