Future tech

14 Jul 2008

Ordinary passenger cars to drive themselves by 2050, says design expert

CARS will drive themselves by 2050 – that is the prediction of former Lancia design chief Michael Robinson.

Michael was speaking at the Interior Motives Europe automotive conference in Italy recently.

He said advances in automotive technology will allow OEMs to create cars that are able to drive autonomously.

Although certain prototype vehicles are already more-or-less capable of this, he said that by 2050, the technology would be largely and cheaply available and be perfectly normal on regular passenger cars.

With computers, rather than error-prone humans in charge, Michael said accident rates would drop massively, along with the need for bulky and heavy safety systems that currently add weight to cars. This change would mean lower vehicle weights and lower emissions, he said.

The move towards computer-driven cars will, according to expert delegates at the conference, be part of a trend towards zero–impact cars, with lighter materials, better aerodynamics and fewer components. All of which will results in greener cars.

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