Thought Leadership

Expect to see more negative driverless car technology coverage

An unfortunate accident involving an Uber autonomous car has put autonomous cars back in the headlines.

This time, driverless car technology is in an unflattering light.

This incident involved a self-driving car accident in Tempe, Arizona, where a pedestrian was killed when an Uber autonomous car allegedly struck her. Tempe police chief Sylvia Moir stated that preliminary results show Uber will “likely not be at fault in this accident,” but the effects of the crash are already reverberating throughout the auto industry.

Within a few days of the incident, Uber, Toyota and the city of Boston halted autonomous car testing, and it’s unclear when testing will begin again.

What does this self-driving car accident mean for the future of driverless car technology? 

The future of testing driverless car technology


When considering the impact this and event others will have on the overall acceptance of autonomous cars, you should consider the hype that surrounds the introduction of any new technology.

According to Gartner’s hype cycle for emerging technologies, autonomous cars and driverless car technology have just passed the “peak of inflated expectation.” and are now entering the “trough of disillusionment,” where negative hype will become more evident.

As a result, we should expect negative coverage to increase in the coming months and years which will in turn slow consumer acceptance of autonomous cars.

GartnerHypeCurve.pngAn overview of the “hype cycle” (image courtesy of Gartner)


Inflated vs. realistic driverless car technology expectations


During the period of inflated expectations, many have claimed that autonomous cars are ready for large-scale deployment. One expert I interviewed in my previous series about research being done for driverless car technology, MIT research scientist Bryan Reimer, cautioned against these inflated expectations. In an interview following this self-driving car accident in Arizona, he had this to say:

“Until we understand the testing and deployment of these systems further, we need to take our time and work through the evolution of the technology.”

This evolution will take time, and eventually will result in more realistic expectations from both a performance and timing standpoint. But first autonomous cars must overcome the challenge of earning consumers’ trust. An MIT Agelab study recently found that consumers don’t really want self-driving cars because they’re uncomfortable with the loss of control, don’t trust the technology and don’t feel self-driving cars are safe.

The greatest benefits of autonomous cars won’t initially be obvious, because they can only be realized with a fundamental shift in how we live our lives. As autonomous cars enter the trough of disillusionment, there will likely be an overemphasis on their flaws.

But over time, the benefits of driverless car technology such as a lower cost more enjoyable travel experience will become evident, which will help self-driving cars gain the elusive trust of consumers.

About the author
Edward Bernardon is vice president of strategic automotive initiatives for the Specialized Engineering Software business segment of Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division. Bernardon joined the company when Siemens acquired Vistagy, Inc. in December, 2011. During his 17 year tenure with Vistagy, Bernardon assumed the roles of vice president of sales, and later business development for all specialized engineering software products. Prior to Vistagy, Bernardon directed the Automation and Design Technology Group at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, formerly the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Instrumentation Laboratory, which developed new manufacturing processes, automated equipment and complementary design software tools. Bernardon received an engineering degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, and later received an M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Butler University. He also holds numerous patents in the area of automated manufacturing systems, robotics and laser technologies.

Edward Bernardon

Ed has over 25 years experience as an entrepreneur and executive in industries related to software, design, and automated manufacturing in a variety of industries including automotive, aerospace, and apparel. Primary roles have been as a sales and business development executive in early stage startups that have grown to become global in scope. Ed is currently Vice President of Strategic Automotive Initiatives at Siemens Specialized Engineering Software. In this role, he is responsible for strategic planning, business development, and making initial sales of new products to market leading companies. The primary focus of these efforts has been in the areas of design and manufacture of lightweight automotive structures and transportation interiors. Prior to Siemens, he was the third principal member and Vice President of Sales for VISTAGY that, without any outside funding, developed industry leading software for design and manufacturing of light-weight composite parts. Initially the sole sales person, he expanded sales to a global organization with direct and channel partners in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Ed was a key member of the executive team during the global expansion of VISTAGY and the transaction of Siemens acquisition in 2011. Prior to VISTAGY, Ed directed the Automation and Design Technology Group at the MIT Draper Laboratory, developing manufacturing processes, robotics, and complementary design software for composites, automotive and textile applications. Projects included design of a composite car body, FRTM and preform pick/place for composites fabrication, as well as robotic equipment for the manufacture of men’s suits, blue jeans, sweatpants and other apparel. Ed holds an M.S. in mechanical engineering from MIT, a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, and an MBA from Butler University. He also has numerous patents in the area of high volume automated composite manufacturing systems, robotics and laser technologies.

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This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.stage.sw.siemens.com/thought-leadership/2018/03/26/expect-to-see-more-negative-driverless-car-technology-coverage/