Though we once thought flying cars were our future, the fuel costs and safety concerns make them impractical at best, and impossible at worst. But now as we barrel towards the future, driverless cars seem more and more enticing, and perhaps even practical. Companies like Google have already logged thousands of miles in test drives of autonomous cars with almost no mistakes reported – outside of human error.
Autonomous vehicles bring us images of stress-free commutes and long road trip naps – but the technology of self-driving cars will go far beyond that, and could revolutionize the way we live. Experts already predict that with a rise in driverless vehicles, the need to own a car will be greatly reduced in lieu of autonomous taxis and rentable vehicles. And if you own your own self-driving car, you’ll be able to get a lot more out of it. For example, after your car has dropped you off at work it’ll have a good eight hours of potential ahead of it. Why not capitalize on this time by sending your car home so it can drive other family members to their jobs and responsibilities?
So what’s keeping self-driving cars out of consumer hands? Right now, it’s cyber security. Who would get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle knowing that one rouge hacker could run them off the road? Indeed, the computer systems of modern vehicles have already been compromised by hackers, and if you’re putting your life in the hands of a computer, you’ll need to be sure that your network is secure. So far, no technology has been able to provide that certainty.
However, that problem may now be solved by an unlikely source – the digital ledger behind Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, known as Blockchain. While Blockchain emerged as an uneditable chain-of-title for digital currencies, many experts believe it’s potential as a stand-alone technology have yet to be fully realized. In this case, Blockchain could offer a network for self-driving cars that would be functionally impossible to hack.
Thanks to blockchain technology, driverless cars could be just on the horizon. The following infographic from Auto Accessories Garage will show you research on driverless vehicles, blockchain technology, and what the near future may hold.
