Electric vehicles are suddenly everywhere. What can we learn and what does it mean for the rise of autonomous vehicles?

By Xische Editorial, December 23, 2019

When Elon Musk unveiled the Cybertruck, Tesla’s new pickup truck, the internet lit up. Commentators and analysts couldn’t believe their eyes. The truck was unlike anything ever produced in the industry, with sharp lines that made the car seem like it was something out of a dystopian science fiction film. 

The reaction perfectly captured the key to Tesla’s success and Elon Musk’s approach to making electric cars commonplace. By creating something so unique, Musk transformed the car market and made his products into objects of desire. He broke down our preconceptions about electric cars by offering models that are simply better than a normal car. As electric cars became status symbols, a radical change in the automotive industry took place. By the looks of it, Musk is well on the way to doing something similar in the truck sector. 

Ten years ago, electric cars were still in their infancy. Charging stations were few and far between, making the logistics of owning an electric car a major hurdle for most people. The other problem was the relative lack of power in electric cars, which left owners with little of the pride that is normally associated with driving a distinctive automobile. 

Tesla upended this situation by creating a luxurious, fast, and futuristic car that made heads turn on the street. At the same time, electric car infrastructure got a major boost, especially in major markets such as California. All of a sudden, everyone wanted a Tesla and other manufacturers took note. Today, virtually every major automobile manufacturer offers some form of an electric car. With this increased supply comes better infrastructure and more owners. 

Ten years ago, no one thought electric cars could become a mainstream reality; today there is serious talk of electric trucks taking over the freight market. According to Consumer Reports, five automakers have introduced electric vehicles that can deliver more than 320 kilometres of range this year. By the end of 2020, automakers plan to introduce eight more. Compare that with last year, when there were only 14 electric vehicles on the market, and just four could reliably get more than 320 kilometres on a full battery charge. 

Given the symbiosis between the two modes of transportation, the breathtaking transformation of the electric vehicle market signals the pace of change to come in autonomous vehicles. And while more electric vehicles on the road is generally accepted as a good thing, the benefits of the advent of the autonomous vehicle is less certain.

Consider the debates about ethics and autonomous cars. Should autonomous systems be programmed to save the life of the driver or pedestrians in an emergency? Who should have the final word in making such an immense decision between life and death? 

Until recently these questions seemed nearly impossible to answer but that appears to be changing. According to Fast Company, Mercedes self-driving cars will be programmed to save the driver over anyone else. “When they crash, self-driving Mercedes will be programmed to save the driver, and not the person or people they hit,” the report notes. “That’s the design decision behind the Mercedes Benz’s future Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous cars, according to the company’s manager of driverless car safety, Christoph von Hugo. Instead of worrying about troublesome details like ethics, Mercedes will just program its cars to save the driver and the car’s occupants, in every situation.”

In other words, manufacturers are making decisions that will have real-life consequences in the near future. With autonomous cars set to make their introduction on UAE roads as early as 2021, we are at the crossroad just before autonomous vehicles make the jump from obscurity to mainstream popularity. And just like electric cars, all it takes is one visionary to transform the sector and transform the way we understand the roads. Elon Musk brought style and power to electric vehicles. Who will bring trust and accountability to autonomous vehicles?