Despite 54% of the general American population stating that they are worried about the safety of autonomous vehicles, individuals living in Pittsburgh, including the Italian-American population, aren’t in agreement. A new study by Bike Pittsburgh has revealed that 72% of Pittsburgh locals think that driverless cars will enhance road safety. So how is Pittsburgh making these individuals trust autonomous vehicles so much.
Greater exposure
One of the main reasons why the 316,351 Italian-Americans living in Pittsburgh feel so positive about the safety features of autonomous vehicles is due to their exposure to them. Uber and several other companies have been carrying out autonomous vehicle testing on Pittsburgh’s streets for some time now. It’s, therefore, perfectly normal for individuals in the city to come face to face with them. As a result of this testing, Bike Pittsburgh’s survey found that 61% of locals had come across a self-driving vehicle. Simply being able to witness them regularly will give Pittsburgh’s Italian-Americans more opportunities to experience them in all their glory, including their safety functions.
Taking responsibility
It has recently been announced that the five companies testing driverless vehicles in Pittsburgh must immediately report any crashes. Aptiv, Argo AI, Aurora Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University, and Uber will have just three days to inform authorities about crashes where damage or injuries have been caused. This is sure to make Italian-Americans in the city feel even more confident about how safe these vehicles are, as any problems will be identified and rectified quickly. These new guidelines are similar to how today’s insurance industry works. When a driver is involved in an incident, it’s best that they notify their insurer as soon as is practically possible. This is because it fast-tracks the repair process and keeps everyone safe, just as the city’s new autonomous vehicle testing guidelines will.
The leader of autonomous vehicle testing
There’s no denying that Pittsburgh is the leader of the pack when it comes to autonomous vehicle testing. The city is home to multiple autonomous vehicle companies who have worked extensively to create and test innovative pieces of technology. Argo AI currently has its headquarters in the city and Aurora Innovation has an office in Pittsburgh, too. As a result, Uber chose the city to launch their self-driving vehicles and Delphi opted to use it as their testing base. With such well-known names and levels of expertise sitting on the doorstep, Italian-Americans can trust the safety of driverless vehicles more than the rest of the nation.
Human backup
Driverless vehicles don’t require a human to sit inside the vehicle. Both California and Texas have allowed Drive.ai to operate fully driverless vehicles on their roads. With these being two of the biggest states in the country, it’s no surprise that so many Americans have concerns about sharing the roads with autonomous vehicles. In contrast, Italian-Americans in Pittsburgh who encounter self-driving cars will find that they’re all being road tested with two human drivers seated inside the vehicle.
Pittsburgh residents generally have the greatest confidence in the safety of autonomous vehicles. This is due to their enhanced exposure of these cars and the additional steps the authorities are taking to keep the city safe.