Myths about autonomous driving | Audi MediaCenter

Myth No. 1:
Self-driving vehicles will likely be like regular vehicles, simply with out drivers.

Aerodynamics particularly are a key issue in relation to electrical vehicles’ ranges, which is why they proceed to play a significant function in design. The method vehicles and different technique of transportation with rising automation look is not going to seriously change on this regard. What’s clear, although, is that design will deal with the inside sooner or later. Passengers’ consolation will likely be a precedence, which is why their seats will now not essentially face within the course of journey in sure use circumstances. This freedom of inside design will provide these on board a big selection of choices for individually customizable experiences: communication or rest, work or retreat. Space for passengers will likely be maximized by permitting the whole lot that’s now not wanted – the pedals, gearshift and steering wheel – to be quickly retracted.
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“Digitalization allows us to make mobility even safer, more personal and especially smarter. The goal is for our vehicles to seamlessly integrate into our customer’s everyday lives. We’re thus creating a true added value – by giving them back time for things that are important to them.”
Oliver Hoffmann, Audi Board Member for Technical Development
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Myth No. 2:
Once the software program is developed and accessible, autonomous vehicles will be capable to drive anyplace.

Getting self-driving vehicles on the highway would require a totally dependable and all-around secure software program not just for the automobile, however for your complete surroundings. This will change the best way our cities look incrementally: To this finish, infrastructure have to be expanded to incorporate clever site visitors lights and highway sensors. Cities will become more digital, offering an appropriate ecosystem for an rising variety of automated vehicles. This will make cities safer and extra relaxed, the place, ideally, site visitors will be capable to movement with out disruptions or congestion.
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“This isn’t a case of revolution, but rather evolution. Step by step in a direction that’s already becoming clear.”
Eric Hilgendorf, SocAIty knowledgeable
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Myth No. 3:
Self-driving vehicles will make driving much less enjoyable.

This fantasy is an apparent supply of tension to automobile lovers: being condemned to the function of inactive passenger. Some worry their automobile will stop them from driving throughout the nation and having fun with the pleasure of feeling their foot on the pedal and their palms on the steering wheel. But the alternative is true: Self-driving vehicles is not going to finish the enjoyable we have now behind the wheel. No producer will stop its clients from driving their very own vehicles if they need to take action. In the long run, automobile homeowners will nonetheless have the selection of driving the automobile themselves or handing over management to the automobile throughout disagreeable conditions equivalent to stop-and-go site visitors on the freeway.
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“We need to move people but not cars.”
Torsten Gollewski, SocAIty knowledgeable
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Myth No. 4:
Self-driving vehicles are a hacking legal responsibility.

Not true. Self-driving vehicles will likely be no extra weak than vehicles pushed by hand. That being stated, the affect of a hacker assault on a self-driving automobile’s safety-related techniques will be extra severe. For this cause, producers are continually growing protecting measures in opposition to cyberattacks and enhancing the protecting mechanisms, each contained in the automobile and outdoors within the again finish. As vehicles develop into more and more networked with their surroundings, the hassle required to make sure dependable and at all times up-to-date cyber safety will increase too. At the identical time, automated autos will improve highway security – along with higher effectivity and larger consolation, a profit for society as an entire.
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“The industry is really taking this seriously now, but it’s important for them to incorporate security from the initial design phase all the way through the process and through all aspects of the business.”
Sam Abuelsamid, SocAIty knowledgeable
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Myth No. 5:
Self-driving vehicles would require fewer parking areas.

Self-driving vehicles received’t require much less parking house. But they may use it rather more effectively. Additionally, automobile density may drop in metropolitan areas if an rising proportion of vehicles are used collectively by sharing fashions. By method of background data: According to the German Environment Agency, at this time non-public vehicles are at present pushed for a mean of only one hour a day.

Myth No. 6:
The expertise is already developed, however legal guidelines on autonomous driving are nonetheless missing.

It is true that technological improvement in nations such because the USA or China appears to be progressing extra quickly than in Germany and Europe. However, it’s also true that German lawmakers created a authorized framework very early on that places security first within the improvement and introduction of self-driving expertise. In this respect, Germany is even thought of a pioneer by worldwide requirements. Since as early as 2017, autonomous driving techniques have been allowed, beneath sure circumstances, to take over actions that have been beforehand the unique accountability of people (SAE Level 3). In June 2021, a authorized framework was established permitting autonomous autos, Level 4 and above, to function usually in public site visitors, albeit solely inside outlined areas (e.g. A-to-B shuttle site visitors and “people mover” buses on designated routes). This legislation is a primary step in direction of extra complete regulation, which is at present being labored on intensively. So the very fact is: The authorities implementing the legal guidelines are usually not blocking improvement. They are merely following the legally established precept that security comes first.
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“German legislators are leading the field worldwide when it comes to regulating automated driving functions, thereby setting out an initial legal framework for manufacturers to develop these technologies.”
Uta Klawitter, Head of General Counsel Legal Services, Audi AG
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Myth No. 7:
In excessive circumstances, autonomous autos should make life-and-death choices.

With regard to autonomous driving, the decisive issue from at this time’s perspective is: It isn’t the automobile itself that decides, however the people who program the automobile. The automobile can solely replicate what the software program specifies. And all earlier analysis reveals: Cars are considerably much less vulnerable to human error than people – for instance, attributable to their immunity to tiring even throughout lengthy journeys.

Many persons are troubled by the query as as to if a machine could make the best selection in a hazardous scenario. But autonomous driving isn’t the primary time this query arose. In reality, it has been a matter of dialogue in ethics for many years, as illustrated within the “trolley problem”. This thought experiment asks us to think about a scenario by which one particular person may divert a runaway trolley onto a facet observe the place one particular person lies immobile, thereby saving the lives of 5 individuals tied up on the unique observe. Would this be a legal act? Should the particular person relatively not act in any respect? Or did the person deliberate appropriately and act to mitigate the best potential hurt?

With autonomous driving, this dialogue has witnessed a resurgence: But within the examine, consultants say the central level of the controversy is {that a} self-driving automobile wouldn’t make its personal determination in a hazardous scenario the examine, however as a substitute solely replicate the software program decisions its creators endowed it with. It can and can solely assume the moral choices and values of the individuals who design it – and apply them with out its personal interpretation.
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“We have to move on from the more theoretical dilemma situation to address the actual problems that affect companies, such as issues of liability and risk assessment.”
Christoph Lütge, SocAIty knowledgeable
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Myth No. 8:
As a expertise, self-driving vehicles will likely be so costly that few individuals will be capable to afford it.

The improvement of autonomous vehicles is an investment-heavy enterprise. In the quick and medium time period, after all, this impacts product prices. But in the long run – i.e. when they’re prepared for sequence manufacturing and the event prices have been amortized accordingly – costs will fall once more. Moreover, the anticipated improve in highway security will considerably scale back the injury a self-driving automobile suffers. This in flip will doubtless additional decrease restore and insurance prices. Another vital issue is the anticipated change in mobility use: In metropolitan areas, some autonomous autos will belong to mobility suppliers as a substitute of to people. Or they are going to be shared by a number of individuals by sharing ideas. This, too, will increase utilization effectivity and can have a constructive affect on prices.
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“I think that there will be more options in the future. It will be more fractured than it is today. And obviously there is more variety of modes available that are kind of just coming to the fore.”
Pete Bigelow, SocAIty knowledgeable
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Nineteen famend consultants from around the globe contributed to the creation in 2021 of the &Audi examine, titled “SocAIty – Autonomous Driving on the Road to Social Acceptance”, which covers such subjects as legislation, ethics, and information. Click here to obtain the 76-page examine.