4 page essay MLA formact

Informative Speech Outline

SPC1017

Introduction

Attention Getter: 37,461. That’s how many people died in automobile crashes in the United

States in 2016 (Sanguinetti, 2018).

Relevance: I am assuming that most of us drive. And even if you don’t drive yourself, I am sure

you still spend part of your day on the streets of Miami, in a vehicle driven by someone else.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 94% of all car crashes

are due to human error (Sanguinetti, 2018). Imagine if 94% of those 37,461 could be brought

back, imagine if those 37,461 had never died. With driverless vehicles on the rise, the art of

driving would be perfected by autonomous vehicles, with a 90% decrease in crashes estimated

by industry experts (Sanguinetti, 2018). We would no longer need to depend on our mistake-

prone selves for driving, we could now trust in the upcoming technology that is driverless

vehicles. However, all good things must be seen with a grain of salt, as driverless vehicles are

still in the works, and have resulted in hazardous, even fatal incidents, and can possible disrupt

major industries once they are properly introduced.

Overview of Main Points: Today, I will talk about what exactly driverless cars are, their

benefits, risks, and what is currently being done about them around the world.

Transition: First of all, you might be asking what exactly a driverless vehicle is.

Main Body

1. Definition of driverless vehicles

Driverless vehicles are “are cars or trucks in which human drivers are never required to take

control to safely operate the vehicle” (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2018). There are six levels

of autonomy in vehicles, ranging from Level 0, where humans have full control of the vehicle, to

Level 5, where the vehicle has full autonomy and does not need any human intervention

(Wolmar, 2018). Utilizing a wide range of advanced sensors and software, these driverless cars

are able to drive passengers autonomously, an impressive feat. Big players currently in the

driverless vehicles industry are Google, who has a fleet of driverless cars that transport their

workers in their daily commute. There is also Tesla, whose autopilot feature is their first step to

autonomy in vehicles.

Transition: So now that you know about driverless cars and some examples, you might be

wondering about the benefits of owning one.

2. Benefits of driverless vehicles

First of all, driverless cars will lead to fewer overall car accidents and fatalities. Tesla’s autopilot

system worked outstandingly for over 130 million miles in Teslas across the world before its first

fatality (Puzzanghera, 2016). Moreover, the Earth Institute at Colombia University has

conducted studies in the possible effects of driverless cars in Indian cities such as Bangalore,

notorious for heavy traffic and dangerous roads, since several of drivers are illiterate and cannot

read the road signs. They predict that there will be more car-sharing in this cities, which will lead

to a 33% reduction in the amount of cars in the road (Wadwha, 2017). There are also several

environmental benefits, since there would not only be less cars on the road, but more fuel-

efficient ones, leading to less smog that plagues big cities around the world. Driverless cars will

also be able to drive those who cannot drive, such as the elderly or disabled.

Transition: On the other hand, driverless vehicles do pose several risks.

3. Risks of driverless vehicles

The sensor technology used in driverless vehicles will not operate well in inclement weather,

such as rain or snow, forcing the driver to take action. The sensors also cannot process all objects

in its view, such as cyclists moving in front of it, which can lead to fatal incidents. In addition,

driverless cars are poised to disrupt a huge industry of transportation workers. According to the

American Trucking Association, there are about 3 million truck drivers in the U.S. in and

300,000 taxi drivers and chauffeurs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Driverless

cars can put these millions of people out of work, increasing the unemployment rate (Wadwha,

2017). Driverless cars are also prone to hacking, with all the digital controls and internet-

connected devices they contain. This could lead to hackers easily taking control of a car’s brakes

and engine, putting people’s lives in danger. They could also lock cars indefinitely, until a

ransom is paid, similar to the recent ransomware attacks on computers (Samuelson, 2017).

Transition: You might be wondering what is being done around the world to address this

emerging and somewhat controversial industry.

4. Driverless vehicles around the world

Some countries already have a negative outlook towards driverless vehicles, such as India voting

to ban them all together in the country, with its Minister of Transportation stating that he “won't

allow any technology that takes away jobs. In a country where you have unemployment, you

can't have a technology that ends up taking people's jobs” (Wadwha, 2017). Here in the U.S. a

watchdog group has appealed to the California State government to not allow Google to utilize

its driverless vehicles, citing safety concerns (BodyShop Business, 2015). However, there is

some positive news, as the general public seems to be getting warmed up to the idea of driverless

vehicles, with a recent study by the American Automobile Association stating that 73% of

Americans would like to ride in a driverless vehicle.

Conclusion

Now that you know what exactly driverless cars are, their benefits, their risks, and what is

currently being done about them around the world, I hope you have learned a bit about an

emerging industry that directly affects all of us. Roads take us everywhere, from our homes to

our jobs to our schools, and there is a new player emerging in this field of driving, and that is

driverless vehicles. One must be aware of everything that is on the road and I hope I made you

aware of driverless vehicles. Thank you.

References

BodyShop Business (2015). Consumer Watchdog cites shortcomings in driverless car

technology. Retrieved from

http://link.galegroup.com.db16.linccweb.org/apps/doc/A412120083/ITOF?u=lincclin_md

cc&sid=ITOF&xid=6987fc3a.

Puzzanghera, J. (2016). Fatal Tesla Crash Exposes U.S. Rules Gap. In Los Angeles Times, p.

A.1. Retrieved from SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

Samuelson, R. J. (2017). Hackers Behind the Wheel. In Washington Post, p. A.21. Retrieved

from SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

Sanguinetti, E. R. (2018) "Planning for the Driverless Future: As roads dominated by driverless

cars become an increasing reality, plaintiff auto attorneys should prepare now for likely

changes to their practices and their clients' needs." Trial, Sept. 2018,

http://link.galegroup.com.db16.linccweb.org/apps/doc/A554180586/ITOF?u=lincclin_md

cc&sid=ITOF&xid=df5a1dcf.

Union of Concerned Scientists (2018). Self-Driving Cars Explained. Retrieved from

https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/how-self-driving-cars-work#.W_ONQzhKjX4

Wadhwa, V. (2017). Why India's Ban on Self-Driving Cars is Misguided. In Washington Post -

Blogs, Retrieved from SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

Wolmar, C. (2018). False start: Even tech gurus agree that the dream of driverless cars is dying.

Spectator. Retrieved from

http://link.galegroup.com.db16.linccweb.org/apps/doc/A547267096/ITOF?u=lincclin_md

cc&sid=ITOF&xid=e35d29fc.