Development of technology in transportation!

The self-driving car is a hot topic in today’s world. Companies race to put their name on the coveted first autonomous vehicle, and regulators race to establish regulatory standards for self-driving cars. In the developing world, where vast tracts of land are still untapped and transportation remains a challenge, the development of automated vehicles is also gaining momentum. This past year has seen several major developments in this regard. China became the world’s largest driving robot market last year, with shipments exceeding 1 billion units. India is expected to become a $1 trillion automotive market by 2030. And in 2015, India saw its first commercial shipment of an automated truck — one that can drive itself. All these countries — and more — have made great strides toward making our roads safer, cleaner, and more livable. As they do so, they’re putting self-driving cars at the forefront of their efforts as well. In this article, we explore how developing countries are investing in automated vehicles to reduce accidents and improve road safety; and why that’s already happening here in the West.

Cities and rapid transportation To understand the need and potential of automated vehicles in the developing world, we need to examine how cities are restructuring. The old ways of road engineering are changing, and in some places, those changes are making cities more accessible and convenient for people to drive in. In others, they’re making navigation more challenging and dangerous. In some places, the advent of motor vehicles has been part of a moral or cultural awakening. In others, it’s been accompanied by sweeping land-reform policies supported by both government and the populace. Either way, the results have been dramatic. In the Indian state of Maharashtra, for example, where about a third of the country’s people live, motor vehicles have fallen silent by 2020. That state has seen a staggering 80% reduction in traffic fatalities, which number has been reduced by up to 75%. This kind of rapid transformation is not unique to India. China, too, has made massive strides in the same direction.

Autonomous vehicles are being developed because of the developing world’s more advanced roads, which often have a lot more hazards and obstacles on them. In the first example below, we look at why self-driving cars are better in cities, where they’re most needed, and how they can reduce accidents.

What makes for a good city road? For cities to make the most of their new abilities, they need to invest in high-quality, safe, and reliable roads. No one disputes that. Now, of course, some aspects of those things are easier said than done. Most roadways in the developing world are made of dirt, sand, logs, or poor-quality concrete. The best that can be done is often sub-par. Even then, the added hazards and obstacles that come with developing country roads are often too great. Potholes, manholes, puddles — these can all prove to be challenging and dangerous conditions for the most advanced automation to navigate. A road that frequently comes in contact with obstacles, especially around the edges, is more likely to develop potholes and other hazards. That’s why cities that are building the fastest are also seeing large increases in automated vehicles.

Self-driving cars: the perfect solution to bad sidewalks As roadways in the developing world become more advanced, so do their pedestrians. It might not be pretty, but that’s an inevitable result of progress. In some places, people are still waiting for the next great city center road. In others, technology and design have advanced far enough that destinations like that are a quaint memory. In this case, the development of automated vehicles is not only a blessing but also a critical factor. It means that cities without the necessary infrastructure or designer-level street access can still benefit from automated vehicles, but only to a limited extent.

Countries with the best self-driving car infrastructure To truly understand the potential of automated vehicles in the developing world, we need to examine which countries have the best self-driving car infrastructure. To make that assessment, we need to look first at where autonomous vehicles are being used. Over the past year, we’ve already seen two major developments in this regard. First, we had the first shipment of automated trucks from China. These were truck-mounted “robo-taxis,” which are designed to look almost like a traditional truck but drive themselves. And now, a few days ago, we had the news that General Motors has signed a deal to sell its autonomous car in India.

The potential of completely automated cars All this means that the future of the self-driving car is very much tied to our present and future state of roads and transportation. In other words, the development of completely automated cars is a very real possibility, but it has much more to do with our current state of roads, design, and capabilities than it does with the capabilities of the robots themselves. While these developments have broad implications for our roads, highways, and cities, they also have a lot more to do with robotics and AI than the potential of autonomous vehicles themselves. Automated vehicles are at the very beginning of what will likely be a long and challenging road. And with it, come many new and exciting challenges.