The Advantages and Disadvantages of Introducing Autonomous Vehicles

As autonomous driving technology advances rapidly, several countries have begun to permit fully self-driving vehicles on public roads. Supporters argue that traffic accidents caused by human error will be dramatically reduced, mobility for the elderly and disabled will improve, and traffic congestion will be alleviated. Critics, however, raise concerns about mass unemployment among taxi and truck drivers, security threats from hacking, uncertainty over legal and ethical liability in the event of accidents, and the widening of social inequality due to the technological divide. Do the advantages of the large-scale adoption of autonomous vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?