Driverless cars are the transportation system of the future. Their benefits greatly outweigh those of the current system. Driverless cars are easily possible to develop, much safer than regular cars, and have benefits for both people and the environment.

Driverless cars are already in development, and many manufacturers have already designed and created the technology which makes them possible. Driverless cars require sensors which allow them to mimic human reaction to whatever situation might arise while on the road. Sensor technology has been in development and in use since the 1980s, with the introduction of antilock brakes. Using this technology, Google modified a Toyota Prius with several sensors which allows the car to access a 3-D model of its environment. The proper technology to introduce driverless cars is clearly already available to manufacturers. In fact, in 2013, BMW announced the "Traffic Jam Assistant," which allows the car to steer, accelerate, and brake itself. The world is already well on its way to the creation of a truly driverless car.

Some might object to the safety of driverless cars, but in reality, driverless cars introduce more safety to the road environment. An operating system or machine cannot become tired, frustrated, emotional, angry, or distracted in any way; its judgement is mechanical, and there are no variables of human unpredictability. Most if not all vehicular accidents are caused by some sort of human error in judgement, and driverless cars eliminate this possibility, which is conducive to a much safer driving environment. A possible cosumer concern might be that with the current model of semi-driverless cars, which still require some human effort, people may get tired or distracted waiting for their turn to drive. However, manufacturers are developing an answer to this concern which introduces more safety than a regular driving environment would have. Some manufacturers are introducing in-car displays which turn off instantly when driver assistance is required, which is not possible with a regular cellphone or messaging device. This eliminates any in-car distraction during the driving task, With human error eliminated, driverless cars are much safer than regular ones.

Finally, the driverless car introduces benefits to both people and the environment. Driverless cars can allow people to safely engage in other activities besides driving, allowing them to achieve and accomplish more. Driving can be tiring, and driverless cars eliminate driving as a task for people to complete. Many factors can impair driving ability and prevent one from driving, but with driverless cars, mobility is always possible, and transportation is always accessible. A Google cofounder estimates that driverless cars can eventually eliminate the need for personal cars at all, by introducing a public transportation system of entirely driverless vehicles, and that these vehicles can use half the fuel of current taxis. This can have huge benefits for the environment.

Driverless cars are a much better alternative to the transportation systems of today. They can and are being devleoped, carry benefits to the environment and to people, and are much safer than regular cars.