Self-Driving Cars

Cars that ferry passengers around cities and down highways without the need for a human driver are being tested in an increasing number of locations around the world, fueling predictions that computers will someday replace people behind the wheel. Proponents say autonomous vehicles will revolutionize transportation and virtually eliminate traffic deaths. But many experts say the industry will need decades to overcome technological, ethical and other challenges, including a common perception that self-driving cars are unsafe. Meanwhile, some traffic experts challenge a major rationale for self-driving cars: that they will reduce gridlock. Skeptics contend that widespread private ownership of autonomous vehicles could actually make congestion worse if the vehicles spend hours a day running errands or traveling empty. Legislation to regulate the industry stalled in Congress last year, but federal transportation officials and some states have adopted permissive policies that encourage driverless car companies to innovate rapidly. Other countries, meanwhile, are racing to develop driverless car technology, with China pursuing a particularly ambitious timetable.