Several companies are investing in autonomous driving vehicles. As a result of this, concerned taxi and rideshare drivers must contend with the question: how long until cars will no longer need drivers? Transportation is essential in major metropolitan areas such as NYC, so much so that professional driving continues to be a growing field. We have become dependent on drivers and, they, in turn, depend on us to support themselves and their families. Although it is possible for us to find alternative ways to travel, finding a different profession can prove far more troublesome. We need to ask ourselves, are we ready to lay off all these people? Are we willing to impede their ability to put food on their tables? Do we have to do this, or better yet, why would we do this? With automation, this threat and these questions become real scenarios.

Many companies invest in autonomous driving for the sole purpose of business profit while overlooking safety factors. This business practice is problematic as it ignores the fact that our infrastructure relies on human interaction. Lower safety standards threaten lives. Autonomous vehicles are still not able to respond to pedestrian intention and unpredictability well. Because of this flaw, we must wonder, can we comfortably put our trust and lives in a machine, or is it best to put ourselves in the hands of a human driver? There is a benefit to autonomous driving, but it is best to keep drivers onboard to correct machine errors. Autonomous driving isn’t as farfetched as it seems as long as you have a pilot in the vehicle.

We already have the safe and most efficient driving systems at our disposal; we have to make sense of them and put them to better use. The environment desperately needs a new means of transportation that is clean. The city needs a more efficient system that benefits us all, including our drivers.


Article provided by AER – the new central hub of Alternative Energy Resources (AER) for transportation. AER is a rideshare combined with a car share that exclusively operates with luxury electric vehicles, electric mopeds, bicycles, and e-scooters. Learn more at aerrides.com