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Can Autonomous Automobiles Trip the Electrical Automobiles Wave?


I’m excited to see that electrical automobiles are getting increasingly more consideration these days. President-Elect Biden is making them a political precedence (hyperlink right here), they proceed to be an space of strategic focus for automakers (see examples right here and right here), and state coverage makers are turning their consideration to them as effectively (see right here). Seemingly, we’re going to see a significant uptick in electrical car manufacturing, gross sales and utilization, for each particular person and business markets.

I’d wish to imagine {that a} important improve in electrical car curiosity and adoption is because of a rising acknowledgement of local weather change and the injury we’re inflicting on the environment each day. Large climate occasions, poor air high quality, and unpredictable temperature swings have created a way of urgency for coverage makers, companies, and most people to shift away from fossil fuels.

So what does this imply for autonomous automobiles?  We all know that shared driverless automobiles have the potential to learn the surroundings as effectively – by way of decreased congestion and extra environment friendly driving routes.  I’m questioning if this impetus or one other comparable set off – like site visitors security – will trigger an analogous shift in give attention to driverless automobiles. What is going to it take to get the general public and policymakers on board?

  • Possibly our post-Coronavirus world will probably be so car-focused and have a lot congestion that shared driverless automobiles will change into an enormous precedence? I want that was the case, however I’d be stunned…
  • Possibly street security will obtain heightened consideration as a result of higher utilization of bikes and scooters inflicting extra security incidents?  I additionally want that was the case, however I’d be equally stunned…
  • Possibly our post-Coronavirus world will cut back and even get rid of conventional in-person procuring, which is able to considerably improve the world’s package deal supply necessities? I believe we might have discovered our set off!

As grocery shops, retail shops, and pharmacies see much less and fewer foot site visitors, our supply automobiles have gotten busier and busier. Decreasing the labor prices and congestion related to these supply automobiles will possible be an enormous “driver” (pun supposed!) for change. I’m hopeful that items motion necessities will permit us to see the technological advances and supportive coverage modifications that can advance the driverless know-how in the identical approach that the electrical car know-how is being accelerated right now.

Another triggers I’m not considering of?

About Lauren Isaac

Lauren Isaac is the Director of Enterprise Initiatives for the North American operation of EasyMile. Easymile offers electrical, driverless shuttles which might be designed to cowl brief distances in multi-use environments. Previous to working at EasyMile, Lauren labored at WSP the place she was concerned in varied initiatives involving superior applied sciences that may enhance mobility in cities. Lauren wrote a information titled “Driving In the direction of Driverless: A Information for Authorities Businesses” concerning how native and regional governments ought to reply to autonomous automobiles within the brief, medium, and long run. As well as, Lauren maintains the weblog, “Driving In the direction of Driverless”, and has introduced on this subject at greater than 75 business conferences. She just lately did a TEDx Speak, and has been revealed in Forbes and the Chicago Tribune amongst different publications.

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