Autonomous Cars
You know you want one
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And now you really
want one
That thing can do 190mph. By itself.
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What is an autonomous car?
S Well, “autonomous” is actually a misnomer.
S An “autonomous” car would be able to make decisions
completely independent of any outside input.
S Since the “autonomous” cars we think of today receive input
from various communications networks (GPS, traffic
information, etc.), and sometimes also the driver (like telling it
where you want it to go), it would be more correct to call them
“automated” or simply “self-driving.”
S Not that this really changes anything. I just thought you should
know.
What makes a car “selfdriving”?
S In May of 2013, the US Department of Transportation’s National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave this
definition of “self-driving” vehicles:
S “Self-driving vehicles are those in which operation of the vehicle
occurs without direct driver input to control the steering,
acceleration, and braking and are designed so that the driver is not
expected to constantly monitor the roadway while operating in
self-driving mode.”
S Implicit in that definition is the ability to take cues from the
environment and respond to them.
How does a self-driving car
work?
S Video that I can’t embed (that’s 45 minutes of my life I’ll
never get back – thanks Microsoft):
S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFum2CvclCk
Are all self-driving cars created
equal?
S Nope. Some are more “self-driving” than others, and it will
likely be that way until the technology is fully developed and
adopted.
S Therefore, in addition to the “self-driving” definition, the
NHTSA established a classification system. The
classification system has five levels.
Level 0: No Automation
S
The driver is in complete and
sole control of the primary
vehicle controls – brake, steering,
throttle, and motive power – at
all times.
Level 1: Function-specific
Automation
S
Automation of specific control
functions, such as cruise control,
lane guidance and automated
parallel parking. Drivers are fully
engaged and responsible for
overall vehicle control (hands on
the steering wheel and foot on
the pedal at all times).
Level 2: Combined Function
Automation
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Automation of multiple and
integrated control functions, such
as adaptive cruise control with
lane centering. Drivers are
responsible for monitoring the
roadway and are expected to be
available for control at all times,
but under certain conditions can
be disengaged from vehicle
operation (hands off the steering
wheel and foot off pedal
simultaneously).
Level 3: Limited Self-driving
Automation
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Drivers can cede all safety-critical
functions under certain
conditions and rely on the
vehicle to monitor for changes in
those conditions that will require
transition back to driver control.
Drivers are not expected to
constantly monitor the roadway.
Level 4: Full Self-driving
Automation
S
Vehicles can perform all driving
functions and monitor roadway
conditions for an entire trip, and
so may operate with occupants
who cannot drive or without
human occupants.
Ok, why are we talking about
this in Energy Law?
S Self-driving cars are relevant to Energy Law because they
have great potential to promote the goals of both energy
conservation and energy efficiency.
Advantages to energy conservation
(via reduced fuel consumption)
S More self-driving cars on the road would mean safer roads. Safer
roads would mean a decreased need for frequent police patrols. Less
patrols would equal less fuel consumed.
S
The same would go for the fuel saved by emergency service vehicles – after
all, human error accounts for over 90% of accidents.
S In a world where self-driving cars had all but eliminated accidents,
cars could be built using fewer and lighter materials, since there
would not be a need to protect passengers from potential impact.
S As the number of self-driving cars increased, the need for physical
signs would decrease. This would mean less materials used on those
signs and less fuel spent placing them/maintaining them/etc.
S Since they would not be driving the cars themselves, people would be
less resistant to self-driving cars using hybrid or similar technology.
Advantages to energy efficiency
(via increased fuel efficiency)
S
A self-driving car’s sensors, which are much more sensitive than human senses
and allow it to react more quickly, would allow the car to better manage
traffic. As the number of self-driving cars on the road increased, this would
lead to less congestion and less time spent idle. Both are more efficient and
decrease overall fuel consumption.
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Self-driving cars would be programmed with driving patterns/behaviors that
would be far more fuel efficient than the way the average person drives.
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For example, self-driving cars would have no reason to aggressively accelerate
and waste fuel like a person running late for work would.
With more self-driving cars on the road, there would also be less need to waste fuel
by quickly accelerating in order to avoid an accident.
More advantages to energy
efficiency
S
As stated previously, selfdriving cars would be able
to manage traffic better
and space themselves
more efficiently. The
decrease in drag created
by this formation would
also reduce fuel
consumption.
Even more advantages to efficiency
(I promise I’ll stop after this)
S Self-driving cars would be able to communicate not only with
each other, but with nearby traffic systems. This could allow a selfdriving car to slow its speed in anticipation of a light change so
that it does not have to stop and waste fuel accelerating back to
speed.
S Self-driving cars would be more efficient in their parking
decisions. They wouldn’t wait 10 minutes for a spot or drive
around the lot 15 times. In fact, the parking structure may one day
be able to communicate to the car exactly which spots are open.
This will all lead to less wasted fuel.
Disadvantages with regard to
energy
S There are some potential disadvantages with respect to
energy consumption that could stem from self-driving cars.
S First, self-driving cars would allow people to drive who
would not otherwise be able to (such as the blind). This
might lead to an overall increase in the number of drivers on
the road, such that some of the advantages of self-driver
cars might be offset.
S Second, self-driving cars may decrease the use of public
transportation, further increasing the number of cars on the
road and the amount of fuel consumed.
Disadvantages cont.
S Third, people might be encouraged to live further away from
work, since they will be able to be more productive on the way
there.
S Fourth, it is unknown how much electricity use will increase if the
majority of self-driving cars are hybrid or electric – especially
considering the amount of electronics that have to be constantly
on in order for them to operate correctly.
S Fifth, it is also unknown how much electricity will be required to
run the communication network that self-driving cars will rely on
(the servers in all those data centers use a lot of energy).
Regulations
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Given how “new” the issue of self-driving cars is, there are not many
regulations or statutes that specifically address them.
S
As of right now, four states (Nevada, California, Michigan, and Florida) and
the District of Columbia have successfully enacted laws addressing selfdriving cars.
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These laws have generally defined terms like “automated vehicles,” “operator,”
“autonomous technology/artificial intelligence,” and have allowed for
operation or “testing” of self-driving vehicles.
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There are three other states (New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey) that
are currently considering legislation addressing self-driving cars.
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Fifteen states have considered legislation addressing self-driving cars but have
failed to pass such legislation.
Regulations cont.
S As mentioned earlier, the NHTSA has addressed the issue,
although only in non-binding guidelines intended to help
states with their own lawmaking.
S It is likely that most, if not all, of the regulations currently
applicable to automobiles will be applicable to self-driving
cars.
S CAFÉ standards - NHTSA
S Clean Air Act - EPA
Future Issues in Regulation
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States will have to continue to decide how they will handle self-driving cars.
S
This includes a look at older laws that are applicable to cars currently but
might not be applicable to self-driving cars:
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Texting while driving and other phone use
DUI
Hands required to be on wheel – NY
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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is
expected to set aside a part of the broadband spectrum for self-driving cars.
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The US Dept. of Transportation is likely to mandate vehicle-to-vehicle
communication.
Conclusion
S With the amount of public interest in self-driving cars and the
number of companies investing in them, self-driving cars are going
to happen.
S The potential advantages of self-driving cars with respect to
energy far outweigh the potential disadvantages.
S Most of the disadvantages will either improve or disappear as
technology involving fuel efficiency and energy efficiency
improve.
S Therefore, in looking to the future, the states and federal
government should be careful not to over-regulate and deprive us
of the benefits of this technology.
Bonus
S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsnKzK6dX8Q