One of the new robotic cars to be tested on public roads.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23330681

In this BBC article from July 2013 it is revealed that driverless cars will begin to be tested on public roads. The idea of self-driving cars has been in production for many years, with cars being designed with such features as cruise control and “self parking”. Theses features are steps towards the eventual, fully self-operational car. However it is important to note what the market for this kind of vehicle would actually exist. The question that arises is whether people would ever be fully comfortable with riding as a passenger in a driverless car, will people feel completely safe in a situation, which is out of their control? The tests on the cars are a step in the right direction. Performing safety tests on a variety of roads under various conditions will solidify the position of these cars as a viable safe option. However, the stigma of having an automated system in charge of a vehicle, instead of a human being, is not widely accepted. For Driverless cars to become an accepted form of transportation, users would have to be certain without a shadow of a doubt that the car will be safe.

Logo for car chare company Car2go

Article Source: http://ubyssey.ca/news/car2go-on-campus-867/

Like many UBC students, a large part of the cars I see daily are the Car2go smart cars, which can be found all over Campus. Car2go is a car sharing service that allows users to borrow a car and drop it off at a different location. Car2go boasts a impressive business model, and they Market themselves as an environment conscious company as it can eliminate the need to buy a car if you are an infrequent driver. This article, from the Ubyssey was written in February of 2012, and the main criticism was the lack of on campus locations. A year and a bit down the road they have expanded and opened more locations throughout campus. This was an ideal move for Car2g0, their system will cut costs for university students who will no longer need to maintain their own vehicles, or pay for a parking pass. They are convenient for student commuters as they are plentiful on campus and can be used one way or for round trips, useful for those rainy evenings where bussing is not desirable. Universities are ideal markets for car sharing programs, further expansion of the system would result in more users of the system, and an ideal move for the company would be to introduce the program at other universities.