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The door to a driverless vehicle opens to reveal a pivoting seat.

Tampa Bay’s Selmon Expressway is Testing Ground for Driverless Cars

It’s finally happening! At long last, those space-age driverless vehicles you’ve probably been reading about are here – and they’re being tested in your very own backyard. Right here in Tampa Bay, manufacturers are testing “driverless vehicles” on the Selmon Expressway in hopes of working out the kinks before selling them to the public in the very near future.

How Do Driverless Cars Work?

New innovations in technology tend to excite us, especially when they’re specifically designed to make our lives easier. Car manufacturers understand this very well, which is why they decided to develop and market “driverless cars” in the first place. They know we hate the hassle of rush hour traffic – and they’re betting we’ll be willing to pay big bucks so we don’t have to deal with it.

Currently, there are several manufacturers working on perfecting the “driverless car,” such as Volvo, Audi, Mercedez Benz and even Google. And each one wants to hold the title of the first manufacturer of the “driverless car.” It’s become a race. But how will these vehicles work?

What Do “Driverless Cars” Look Like?

Are you envisioning a Jetson’s-style ship or maybe something like the DeLorean from Back to the Future? You might not be too far off (although scientists emphasize we’re still at least a few years away from developing a viable flux capacitor prototype). In an effort to capture the “futuristic” vibe that’s just a natural fit for driverless cars, manufacturers are gravitating toward sleek, space-age styling on these vehicles.

Take a look.

Audi’s A7 autonomous vehicle

Driverless Vehicles Arrive In Tampa Bay

Volvo’s model based on their XC90 model

Driverless Vehicles Arrive In Tampa Bay

Mercedez Benz S500 Intelligent Drive research vehicle

Driverless Vehicles Arrive In Tampa Bay

Impressed yet?

And to really lure you in, these vehicles are coming fully equipped with all the technology you need to make your driving experience a pleasurable one. From Netflix to built-in iPhones, you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. However, keep in mind that car manufacturers understand how new this is and are planning on easing us into this new way of driving. Initially, autonomous driving will require some involvement. We can’t sleep behind the wheel or pull out our laptop. We’ll have to be alert.

For example, in case of an emergency, the car will notify us and we will be required to take control of the wheel. So don’t give up on your driving skills altogether.

How Driverless Cars Will Affect Your Car Accident Claim

The newest Intel study shows that about 44% of Americans would live in a driverless city and 1 in 3 of them think they’ll see a driverless city in 10 years or less. And the excitement is ramping up with news that “driverless cars” are being tested on our streets. But with all the excitement surrounding autonomous driving, have we really considered the pros and cons?

One of the pros of “driverless cars” is that, in theory, they’re safer than cars driven by people. Why? Because they’re eliminating unexpected and unpredictable human behaviors. It will be hard to find a vehicle texting while driving,drinking while behind the wheel or becoming overwhelmed with road rage.

But there are definitely cons.

Currently, if you’re involved in a car accident, the quickest way to prove your case is by establishing what is known as liability – who was at fault for causing the accident. However, with the introduction of autonomous driving, many are speculating that liability will become increasingly difficult to prove. Why?

If you’re involved in an accident while in a “driverless car”, who’s responsible? Is it the person in the car or the manufacturer of the vehicle? Was it human or computer error? How will attorneys be able to prove liability? Not being able to properlyprove liability in your case may result in you receiving much less in compensation than you deserve.

Something to think about.

But while we’re waiting for these high-tech cars to hit the market, make sure you’re safe on the road. If you’ve been injured in a car accident and need an attorney to help establish liability and prove your case, contact the Andriotis Law Firm today. We’ve been helping car accident victims throughout the Tampa Bay area – and we’re ready to help you.