Self-Driving Cars: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Self-driving cars are the latest trend in automotive technology, and they have the potential to make life a lot easier for many drivers, particularly anyone who takes long journeys regularly and wants their car to take on most of the work.
However, they can also cause problems for drivers. For example, Burger King recently announced that many cars with an autopilot feature think that the company’s lit-up logos are stop signs. The fast-food chain created a policy that will allow drivers to get a free burger if they can prove that their car stopped for a Burger King sign. All you’ll need to do is show proof that your car stopped for the sign, and then the firm will give you your reward.
This issue might sound funny, but it is also a precursor to some of the other problems that the rise of the self-driving car could have for drivers, as well as the car insurance industry. After all, issues like this could lead to changes to car insurance policy-making, as well as the levels of cover offered by car insurance providers, the cost of an insurance policy and more.
With carmakers ploughing millions into developing self-driving technology, it looks like drivers might not need to do as much in the future. While driving your car might get easier, you might find that you need to deal with more car insurance policy issues and higher costs to pay to get car insurance for their vehicle.
Therefore, as the technology evolves, you’ll be able to kick back and relax without having to worry about anything so arduous as steering, parking, or even watching out for obstacles. You’ll also need to explore new levels of cover to cover the cost of claiming on your car insurance if your car decides to go off on its own and do something daft!
Self-driving cars probably won’t be coming to a street near you anytime soon; studies show that consumer confidence in them is still low. However, advancements in technology mean that auto-pilot functions are already available as an optional extra on many vehicles.
For drivers who fancy chilling out behind the wheel, and spending more time relaxing, chatting or coming up with an ambitious scheme, then self-driving cars could be perfect. You might need to pay a little extra to get it, both for your car and car insurance cover, but the results will be worth it if you’re interested in driving a cutting-edge vehicle.
This technology might save time and energy, but it can come with comical consequences. As it can’t think for itself, it can make mistakes that leave owners squealing with laughter, as well as affecting the cost of your insurance cover and more.
Anyone who’s ever relied on a Sat-Nav system, only for it to direct you into a lake or oncoming traffic, knows all too well how confused these supposedly ‘intelligent’ solutions can become. All it takes is one missed update or one unexpected change, and the system starts hollering at you to drive your car into water or the wrong way down a one-way street.
So, how much worse does it become when your car is driving itself? Quotezone.co.uk, which specalises in helping drivers get the best deals on their car insurance while getting the level of cover they need, has put together a list of some of the weirdest ways that self-driving cars have gone wrong in the few short years since the industry introduced them.
Self-Driving Cars Stop For A Snack
One of the funniest recent developments in the self-driving car market is the news that they believe that Burger King’s illuminated logo is a red light. Burger King’s signature red background leaves the cars confused, meaning that they stop and politely wait for the light to change- or for their owners to override them!
So, next time you’re going through the drive-thru and someone stops suddenly, make sure you control your urge to honk your horn. The driver might be greedily tucking into their burger, or it could just be their car getting confused.
Police Pull Over Driverless Car – for Driving too Slowly
When they first started developing self-driving cars, many companies aimed to create vehicles that could drive themselves, without any human intervention. In 2015, Google sent out a prototype driverless car, which was pulled over by police in Mountain View, California. The charge? Driving too slowly.
That’s right – you’ve heard of speeding, but this autonomous vehicle was going too slowly for the cops. If a vehicle isn’t going fast enough on certain roads, it can cause traffic jams and crashes, so the police were eager to apprehend the culprit – shame there wasn’t one. Once they realised that it was a prototype, they spoke with the passenger and decided against giving it a ticket.