Paper Example on Driverless Cars: Benefits, Challenges and the Future

Introduction

The driverless cars, also known as autonomous cars, refer to those cars that can fulfill the main transportation capabilities of the typical traditional cars, albeit without human intervention (Branch, 2016). Thus, they can sense the environment and navigate through without any human inputs or interventions. There have been numerous debates regarding the adoption of driverless cars, with some supporters claiming that they will be essential in making the roads safer (Helbing, 2001).

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This paper aims at the analyzing the market and the technology trends, internal and external and internal barriers as well as the key factors that are likely to contribute to the success or failure in the development of the autonomous vehicles by Waymo company. The company's various strategies and organizational practices to develop, diffuse, and protect the autonomous vehicles' technological innovation are also discussed in the paper.

Waymo’s Autonomous Vehicles

Analysis of Market and Technology Trends: Origins and Context of Autonomous Vehicles

Origin of the Autonomous Vehicles

The idea behind the development invention of autonomous vehicles can be traced back beyond Google's research in the present day. For instance, the first self-driving car is believed to have been introduced in G.M.'s 1939 exhibit by Norman Bel Geddes. The vehicle was basically electric being guided by some radio-controlled electromagnetic field originating from the magnetized metal spikes that are embedded within the roadway. Since then, numerous improvements and discoveries have been made in the field of autonomous vehicles.

Google Inc. has always been working round the clock on the prototypes of driverless cars since the year 2009 (Branch, 2016). Such vehicles do not need seeing wheels or gas pedals but instead use cameras and laser sensors for guidance. Although these cars may appear to be unsafe, evidence from various sources indicates that these cars are even more secure than those that exist today (Helbing, 2001).

For instance, it is believed that self-driving cars would reduce the traffic on the roads and improve road transport safety. The invention of the vehicles that could operate without human control and intervention had made various consumers enthusiastic in the late 1930s (Fairfield et al., 2017). Such autonomous vehicles could sense the local environment as well as classify the objects that they detect.

Various historical events in the transport sector orchestrated the shaping of modern autonomous vehicles. In the 1950s, there was a significant step in the field of autonomous cars, which was characterized by the development of the Mercedes that trailed a vision-guided robotic van.

Sources have indicated that there are numerous benefits of autonomous cars. For example, it is believed that these cars would make the roads safer for various drivers (Helbing, 2001). This is because modern vehicles are characterized by a lack of safety due to drunk drivers who put their lives and the lives of the travelers in imminent danger (Branch, 2016).

Drivers often experience fatigue and judgment impairment, which results in serious road accidents. In fact, "According to one government study, computer-operated self-driving vehicles will eliminate incidents involving alcohol… [And] fatigue" (Branch, 2016). As such, autonomous cars are likely to save lives and make a difference in how various communities function.

Moreover, besides improving the safety of road transport, autonomous cars are also likely to reduce the traffic on various roads across the world (Helbing, 2001). For instance, in the present scenario, cars experience more challenges and inconveniences since they get stuck behind a series of vehicles due to traffic congestion (Hagman & Lindh, 2019). Such vehicles do not only waste time and gas but also road rage and frustrations for the drivers.

As such, eliminating traffic through driverless cars could be more essential in improving the travel and lives of Americans (Branch, 2016). Again, because the vehicles would be able to communicate with each other, they will be able to drive more closely together, just like trains without any fear of an accident or any related safety concerns (Helbing, 2001). This would have a cumulative advantage of smothering the traffic flow as well as the highway capacity.

Therefore, “the negative effects of stop-and-go traffic could be eliminated” (Hagman & Lindh, 2019). Even though driverless cars would come along with a series of advantages, these cars are likely to be more costly than the present vehicles operated by drivers (Branch, 2016). However, this cost may only be witnessed in the early stage of introduction to the market due to increased demand, but it is likely to reduce with time, just like the case with smartphones.

It is essential, however, to note that the price is justified because of the safety that comes with the driverless cars (Helbing, 2001). They are expected to improve safety on roads through the removal of the human element of driving. It essential to note that human emotions delay and actions are the major contributing factors to the witnessed road accidents. Therefore the removal of the social elements from the roads would significantly reduce the likelihood of road accidents.

The context

Waymo is an organization that was housed within Google’s research and development laboratory but later became an independent company that deals with the development of autonomous vehicles within the United States. Every year, traffic crashes claim the lives of about 1.2 million people across the world. In the United States, the number has continued to grow exponentially.

About 94% of such road accidents are a result of human error because driving has not often become easy as it ought to be (Luders et al., 2018). As such, the development of autonomous vehicles was aimed at saving thousands of American lives caused by human errors in driving.

Waymo Company discovered that fully self-driving cars would play a significant role in the transformation of the lives of the people not only in the United States but across the world. The demand for autonomous vehicles has grown in the recent past, particularly in the United States, and the number is projected to rise exponentially shortly.

Waymo’s Autonomous vehicles are mainly designed to operate without the intervention of a human driver. The vehicles contain lane-keeping systems installed in them; thus, they require little monitoring by the driver, unlike conventional cars. Again, the vehicle comprises the hardware and software installed in them to perform all the functions.

For instance, autonomous jargon by Waymo was developed to perform all dynamic driving tasks across a particular geographical area under some specific conditions with limited interventions from a human driver. This type of technology is categorized under the SAE International’s definition of the Level 4 Automated Driving system since the technology by Waymo is capable of bringing a vehicle to a safe stop in the event of system failure. The company developed various sensors in the autonomous vehicle to meet the various complex demands of autonomous driving.

For instance, the sensors enable the vehicle to have a 360 degrees vision both at night and in the daytime. The discovery by the autonomous vehicles by Waymo is expected to be more beneficial in the transport industry through improving road safety. The accidents that emanate from impaired judgments as a result of drank drivers are also eliminated.

Strategies and Organisational Practices Used By the Company to Develop, Diffuse and Protect Autonomous Vehicle Innovation

Characterized by the immense financial backing from the [aren’t Company, Waymo company has remained the leading company in the autonomous vehicles. However, the company's success cannot be attributed solely to financial backing since it has also put several strategies for the development, diffusion, and protection of technological innovation. For instance, the company relies on a carefully developed, collected, and analyzed data regarding autonomous cars.

Data strategies have significantly emerged as a significant component in the development of the business plan for the company. The company has invested in data gathering as the avenue for determining how artificial intelligence responds to improve autonomous vehicles technology.

Again, rather than relying on the real-world data, the company tests the autonomous vehicle technology in a virtual simulation within the computers (Luders et al., 2018). The faster simulations enable Waymo to collect information faster than the other competitors within the market. The other way technology saves costs and beats the competitors is by designing and constructing their unique autonomous technology.

The building of the expensive LiDAR indoors has significantly reduced the cost for Waymo Company (Lavasani, Jin and Du, 2016, p.67). Because the company is unable to produce its vehicles, it has managed to remain above its competitors through strong partnerships with various companies that deal with vehicle productions.

Some of the partners of Waymo company include; Chrysler Pacifica minivan as well as the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Most significantly, the company partnered with the Jaguar for the production of over 20, 000 new vehicles which will enable the company to supply more autonomous vehicles to the market.

The strategic partnerships of Waymo continue to companies such as Walmart and Avis, which is geared towards enabling more users to gain access to and utilize Waymo vehicles shortly. Concisely the main organizational strategies and practices that enable Waymo to develop, diffuse and protect the autonomous vehicle technological innovation include the substantial financial base from the parent company, strong data strategy that enables the company to gather data for informed decision making as well as the strong partnerships that the organization has with other companies in the field of automobiles productions.

Waymo Company uses its LiDAR system, which has been effectively tailored based on extensive research and testing by the company (Fagnant and Kockelman, 2015, p.167). The LiDAR system ensures there is an improved ability of the autonomous cars to safely navigate through all environments, such as highly unusual driving scenarios as well the environments. Through designing its LiDAR system, the organization has driven down the cost, which is often the main barrier to the commercialization of autonomous vehicle technology.

The development of the laser diode firing circuits was another development that improved the performance at a lower cost. Furthermore, the organization has accumulated proprietary and confidential intellectual rights applied in the manufacture and implementation of LiDAR technology (Glancy, 2012, p.1171). As such, the intellectual property rights and the LiDAR technology, are some of the essential assets of the organization as far as the autonomous vehicles are concerned.

Waymo has always maintained some stringent measures to preserve its LiDAR trade secrets through restrictions on access to confidential and essential proprietary trade secrets to those interested. As such, all the networks that host Waymo’s confidential information have always been encrypted and requires password throughout as well a dual-authentication for access (Luders et al. 2018, p.213). Again, the organization strictly needs all the contractors, employees, as well as vendors, sign confidentiality agreements before disclosure of any proprietary information.