Tag Archives: reuters

Autonomous Vehicles at a Crossroads

The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. There are vast resources currently being spent to transform it into something more efficient, greener, and safer. Many think that the technology behind autonomous, self-driving vehicles, will be a key piece to how we get around in the not-so-distant future. Looking at the size of the companies diving into the autonomous automobile space, from Google and Apple to Über and General Motors, it seems these self-driving vehicles are coming whether we like the idea of it or not. But what happens when someone gets killed by one of these vehicles? Sadly, that question is about to be answered, as an Arizona woman was killed just this week by an autonomous vehicle owned and operated by the ride-hailing company, Über. Today on Sea Change Radio, we discuss the fatal crash and what it means for the autonomous vehicle industry with Reuters Transportation and Technology reporter, Alexandria Sage. She talks about the details of the accident, the blowback to the industry, and what it may mean for the future of this transportation innovation.

Alexandria Sage on Self-Driving Vehicles

AlexSageThe glamour of the limousine is undeniable – who wouldn’t want to be shuttled about town without a care in the world? Traffic, parking, sobriety? Somebody else’s problem! With the introduction of the self-driving car, limo luxury could become pretty commonplace. As with many new technologies, though, self-driving cars bring up myriad sustainability, legal. and ethical questions. These questions notwithstanding, it appears that the self-driving car is coming, and coming soon: the Obama administration recently announced that the US government will be pledging to invest nearly $4 billion in autonomous driving technology over the next decade. Meanwhile, deep-pocketed companies like Google, Toyota, Über and General Motors have made their own investments into self-driving vehicles. This week on Sea Change Radio, we learn more about this emerging technology from Reuters Transportation Technology Correspondent, Alexandria Sage.