As we noted before, self-driving (autonomous) vehicles are still in development. And not yet ready for mass market success. Let’s look at testing self-driving cars. In general, the results are interesting.
Who’s on Top: Testing Self-Driving Cars
There are several issues still to be resolved with self-driving, both legally and operationally. Thus, the importance of proper testing of such vehicles.
According to Niall McCarthy, reporting for Statista:
“Even though the technology behind autonomous vehicles has progressed hugely, it’s still not perfect. A long list of firms tests their electric vehicles in California to improve software capabilities and safety. Importantly, disengagements represent a key part of the testing process. And they occur when a car’s software detects a failure or a driver perceives a failure. With the result being control being seized.”
“In data from the California DMB published by Web site The Last License Holder, 28 firms reported actively testing cars on public roads in the state. In total, they operated 467 vehicles. And they covered just over 2 million miles in autonomous mode. With those tests, 143,720 disengagements occurring.
“When it comes to flawless autonomy, Google’s Waymo is way ahead of the pack with its fleet covering 1.27 million miles last year. With 11,154 miles per disengagement. That’s better than many companies attempting to perfect the technology, especially heavyweight competitors like Uber and Apple. Last year, Uber’s cars drove nearly 27,000 miles. Yet, they only managed 0.4 miles per disengagement. Apple has a similar performance with 1.1 miles per disengagement out of 80,000 miles recorded in total.”
