RI Plans To Test Self-Driving Cars: AAA

NARRAGANSETT, RI—A year from now, self-driving cars could be tested in nearby Weymouth, Mass. They're already being put through their paces on the streets of South Boston. Rhode Island is also looking at a pilot program, starting in Providence, according to AAA Northeast. According to its latest survey, enthusiasm for the product is building. Although most people still say they fear self-driving cars, the percentage has dropped from 78 to 63 in just the past year.

AAA said 1,000 people were surveyed in December. Women and baby-boomers remain the most fearful, while millennials are the most accepting of the new high tech cars.

“Americans are starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of self-driving vehicles,” said Lloyd Albert, AAA Northeast Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs. “But to ensure that drivers continue to be informed, prepared and comfortable with this shift in mobility, AAA is urging automakers to prioritize consumer education.”

For example, cars already have several of the features the self-driving cars will have, such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, self-parking technology, and lane keeping systems.

“It’s more important than ever to read your vehicle owner’s manual, ask your dealer, or learn as much as you can about your car’s active safety features,” Albert said. “Safety technology is appealing to new car buyers, but the true capability of systems should be clearly understood before integrating them into your driving.”

Experts vary in estimates how soon the self-driving cars will be ready for the market. In South Boston, they're already being tested but with an engineer inside the vehicle. Pilot tests in Weymouth are about a year away.

"In Rhode Island, the Department of Transportation will be leading the TRIP (Transportation Innovation Partnership) Mobility Challenge, a pilot program that will leverage highly automated vehicles, easy-access mobility platforms, and other emerging technologies to position Rhode Island at the forefront of mobility testing," AAA said. "A Request for Proposals will be going out for the pilot program, focusing on the Providence urban core."

AAA also pointed out 90 percent of crashes "involve human error."

What do you think? Would you buy a self-driving car, if you could no longer drive due to a medical condition? Could such cars keep senior drivers independent longer? Tell us in the comments.

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