You have likely heard of cars that are driving themselves. The reality is that these cars do have an autopilot mode that is to be engaged when a Pennsylvania motorist gets behind the wheel. However, in light of many crashes involving cars on autopilot, it becomes a valid question of whether or not autopilot cars are safe.
What is the autopilot feature?
Just as our cellphones have gotten smart technology, so do certain cars. The autopilot feature is a new addition to the smart car revolution. This feature essentially drives the car without assistance from the human behind the wheel. Through a series of sensors and GPS, these autopilot cars can read the roadway and steer the driver to their ultimate destination. However, with car accidents involving autopilot cars becoming more prominent, their safety is coming into question.
These cars still require human drivers
While autopilot technology is designed to safely steer a car from point A to point B, it still requires a human driver. People are supposed to have their hands on the steering wheel to assist the car in the event that an unexpected obstacle or incident happens, such as a pedestrian jaywalking in front of the car.
While these autopilot car manufacturers have stated that their sensors require a driver to be behind the wheel before the car goes into autopilot mode, it was recently discovered that there’s a hack. Simply hanging a weight from the steering wheel will falsely mislead the sensor into believing that a human is in the driver’s seat. In reality, the human can slide to the passenger seat or the back seat while the car drives itself.