Non Car Guy on Autonomous EVs

Are cars only as good as the driver?

The above statement was true till about 2008 when Tesla launched the Roaster. The carbon-neutral company not only launched, all-electric vehicles on road, but also made their subsequent variants capable of autonomous driving. While Level 5 autonomous cars are still a distant reality, all major and upcoming car manufacturers like Rivian, have the technology needed to start production.

Today this topic continues to polarise most car lovers to their opinions. I, on the other hand, decided to talk to someone who does not like the art-of-driving. This person believes the less effort needed to drive a car, the better. He wishes to own a Mercedes GLC because it can change gears without him having to go through the tiresome process of pressing the clutch and choosing which gear he would like the car to be in.

I think it's fair to say that Mr. Rahul here is not much of a car guy. I once had a conversation where he said he believes the engine should be placed in the trunk/boot because,"If you have a front-on collision, the engine won't be damaged"- as much as I am a fan of rear-engined cars, I doubt this is the reason Porsche's engineers decided to throw the engine behind the driver.

I, therefore, decided to get him on record about cars and self-driving tech in particular to grab a few insights:

If you could buy any car, which one would it be? Why?

Rahul: The Volvo XC90, because its luxurious. It costs INR 1 crore. Although, I will never drive that, simply, because it's a massive SUV for Indian roads. It's also too big to park. Does it have the parking assist? It should but you will have to be cautious since the roads are bad. I'd rather sit in the backseat. Even if you get a car that massages you, you'll be driving while getting a massage. What's the point of that. Driving tires me out. Why would I buy a luxury car and drive? I would rather sit in the 2nd row with my laptop. Driving on Indian roads is a big NO. Driving on these roads is stressful. I don't want to drive at all on these roads no matter which car.

Volvo XC90

Volvo XC90

Fair Enough. Have you looked much into self driving cars then?

Rahul: I haven't gone out of my way to look these cars up. But, I am aware that companies like Tesla and even Mercedes have variants of self-driven cars. I don't mind owning a self-driving car. It will save me thousands on chauffeur money. Which is one of the biggest reasons why I don't mind owning a self driving car.

The Trolley Problem- Save the passenger or the pedestrian?

The Trolley Problem in the philosophical universe is a no-win hypothetical situation. The similar complicated issue in the autonomous car world is what I call the The Red Light Paradox. Let's suppose the car is approaching an unavoidable accident, would you rather prefer the car to save you, the owner of the car or the pedestrian?

Rahul: That's tough. I guess there should be an emergency braking system or something like a manual override. The government might even consider reducing speed limits which however means heavier traffic, especially in a country like India. Another option could be, making walking barriers and high walls along the pavements. Talking about the car itself, develop tires that have the least stopping distance. Talking hypothetically, cars could release some chemical on the tire under heavy braking, possibly making it stop quicker. Also as a prevention, we can think in terms of letting the car go to only to certain speed say 110km/hr when in autonomous mode.

How would you sell a car that potentially has the ability to save/take lives?

Fully Autonomous vehicles are still a futuristic concept. The legal spectrum covers Level 0 which is 100% human interaction to Level 5 which is 100% machine takeover. Cars today are at level 2 and some concept vehicles at level 3. If I am the customer and you have to sell me this car that will have to choose between either saving the passenger or the pedestrian, how would you convince me?

Rahul: The best thing I can think of, is that the least hurtful option would be chosen by the car. Even if a human was at the wheel, the accident would most likely happen. The machine will do the risk analysis for the human, and choose the safest option, and that can be to save either the passenger or the pedestrian. Let me assure you, the first thing I will do when these cars are available is to get one for myself so I can sit back and not drive.

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Although companies today like Nio and Rivian have the technological capability to make autonomous cars an actuality, regulations and legal issues still mean that Level 5 vehicles are some years away. Until then, hands on 10 and 2!