We need to know why an Uber autonomous vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona on Sunday evening. But Uber must still continue its development of driverless vehicles.
Yes, it’s a fact that Uber and its fellow ride sharing giant, Lyft, are far from perfect. Still, their innovation has enabled both drivers and passengers to live happier lives. For that reason they deserve credit for disrupting the taxi industry.
That speaks to something: as with driverless cars in 2018, history teaches us that all great and disruptive innovations are risky. Moreover, as some are now using what just happened in Arizona to call for a suspension of autonomous vehicle research, we must remember why taking risks is necessary.
Without innovative risk-taking, our society will lose that which helps define it: its unrestrained pursuit of new horizons. In all the great developments of the past 100 years; space exploration, supersonic flight, high speed telecommunications, nuclear fission and penicillin, risk was an inherent element to the eventual success.
The same is true with regard to driverless cars. While these new developments pose risks, they also offer huge opportunities for the future. They offer the prospect of eliminating human error and thus dramatically reducing the tens of thousands of deaths we see on our roads each year. They offer more savings to individuals in terms of reduced outlays on taxis and ride-sharing firms. They offer economic potential in terms of allowing a rider to focus on his or her work instead of focusing on the road.
They even offer the greater pursuit of happiness by laying the groundwork for a day when a driver can safely ride home in his or her car while also intoxicated!
Ultimately, this isn’t just about us, however. Because if the U.S. stifles innovation and risk-taking, others will fill the gaps and win the rewards of investment, jobs, and creativity that follow. Don’t believe me? Then consider how President Barack Obama’s regulations affected the drone research industry.
Put simply, ride-sharing firms must continue working towards their driverless future. Or, as Jim Kirk puts it…
