Could self-driving cars fix our roads?

A bus crash highlights the need for better enforcement and perhaps a technical solution

A school bus carrying children to class veered off the road and crashed into a palm tree lining a major road in the capital last week. Photo Courtesy Abu Dhabi Police

Another week, yet another horrific crash on an Abu Dhabi road. Forty-seven people were injured last Thrusday when two school buses and a public transport bus collided on the northbound carriageway of Khaleej Al Arabi, near Mussaffah Bridge. Thankfully no one was killed but the incident raises the issue of road safety in the capital.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, struck the right tone after the crash when he said: “The safety of our students, Emirati and expats, is a matter of utmost importance, especially when it comes to their transport in school buses. The relevant authorities are required to put in place an efficient mechanism to ensure the safety and security of schoolchildren and motorists, and prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.”

Better enforcement coupled with awareness campaigns highlighting dangerous driving are proven ways to increase road safety. But what if we consider solving the problem by removing human agency from the equation?

With the rapid rise of self-driving cars, perhaps it is time to use this technology to boost the knowledge economy and improve the safety of our roads. In April, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said that he wants driverless transport to account for 25 per cent of journeys in Dubai by 2030.

In July, The National reported that many experts believe that driverless cars will be key to reducing the number of traffic accidents throughout the country. With more 200 nationalities living and working here, approaches to driving vary wildly. Driverless cars, on the other hand, can be programmed and streamlined. By removing human agency – and the recklessness so often accompanied with decision-making on the roads – we can increase overall safety. We are not going to wake up tomorrow to find our road devoid of drivers, but the dayof driverless cars is much closer than you might think. It could be a positive development for all of us concerned with the safety of our morning commute.