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How Pedestrians Will Defeat Autonomous Vehicles


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autonomous vehicle and pedestrian, illustration

Credit: iStockPhoto.com

Self-driving cars are on the way; by some projections autonomous capability could even be standard by 2030.

As drivers, cars will behave differently than humans, and they will almost surely be programmed to avoid hitting people. The idea that roads will become safer, with fewer traffic accidents, is a driving force behind the new technology. But, as pedestrians quickly figure out the cars' behavior, they will certainly adapt theirs as well. The effects could be dramatic: instead of more consistent, traffic flow could become chaotic, according to "Pedestrians, Autonomous Vehicles, and Cities," published in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

From Scientific American
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