Part 6

You are doing a project on transport in the future. Read the text below and write
a summary for your teacher.

Driverless Cars
Cars are increasingly becoming more automated. Transport experts predict
a future where people will travel in driverless pods and only take over driving when
something goes wrong. They claim for every 10,000 errors made by drivers, just
one error will be made by a computer. Therefore, the new technology could save
hundreds of lives a year.
Improving individual circumstances
Experts predict that within 15 years, the performance of cars could be altered to fit
the driver. Learners or teenagers who have recently passed their tests may have their
speed limited automatically. However, more experienced drivers getting in the same
car would be able to travel much faster. Elderly individuals who are not able to drive
a car often rely on public transportation, which can be difficult depending on their
circumstances. With driverless vehicles, many more people could enjoy the benefits
of enhanced mobility. In addition, experts believe that it will allow more people to
retire to the countryside because they will have better transport links into towns.
Monitoring software
Cars of the future will monitor the alertness of the drivers and communicate with
each other to avoid collisions. Vehicles will also be able to communicate with each
other about traffic, weather and road conditions and warn the drivers about potential
safety hazards. In the future, systems could automatically take over braking or
steering if they sense an imminent accident. Advanced sensors within the vehicle
could also monitor a driver’s heart rate, eye movements and brain activity to detect
issues, such as drowsiness.
Impact on traffic
Engineers say the vehicles would not only make roads safer, but could also increase
their capacity by allowing cars to operate closer together without crashing.
Automated cars could also travel in platoons linked up to traffic light systems to keep
them moving and avoid congestion. Car clubs, where a group of people share a car,
are expected to become more popular, with few people owning their own vehicles;
taxis are likely to become redundant.
Ongoing issues
Driverless cars may lead to motorists losing skills that they might need to rely on in
an emergency. It is not uncommon for drivers to get distracted and tired and with
automation you are giving the driver even less to do and the risk is that they will feel
more tired. There are concerns around how to regain a driver’s attention and whether
drivers will lose their driving skills.

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*P61119A02024*
 The amount of software and technology that is required to build a driverless vehicle
is likely to be quite expensive, meaning these costs need to be covered by high sales
prices. Consumers may not want to pay such high costs for a driverless car and may
prefer to stick to the current system. In addition, if driverless vehicles rely on sensors
placed all around the car to assess conditions and navigate traffic, what happens if
one or more sensors get damaged?

In your summary you must:

• give three advantages for drivers of driverless cars
• state two concerns about driverless cars
• give your predictions about how cars and the way they are driven will change in the
future.
You will be awarded up to 5 marks for using relevant information from the text.
You must write between 100 and 150 words only. You must use your own words where
possible.
(25)

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................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

*P61119A02124*
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