Are self-driving cars coming to Maine and New Hampshire? Even though this might sound like a futuristic concept that is still far from becoming reality, the truth is that the technology has already been implemented in some cities in the US. Pennsylvania has already deployed driverless cars in the form of rideshare for the public to use, with other states also investing in research and testing on the technology. The company that is leading the charge on autonomous vehicles is Waymo in Phoenix, AZ. It has been offering ride-sharing services to residents in the East Valley area since 2018.
However, deploying the driverless cars on the roads presents a unique challenge, and that is safety. Even though the vehicles employ various sensors such as lidar, cameras, radar and GPS, accidents are still a risk. This is why New Hampshire has put specific laws in place that allow the deployment of autonomous vehicles outside of commercial use. Similarly, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont have also passed legislation that allows the testing of autonomous vehicles.
The use of driverless cars is becoming more popular globally, with the demand for the vehicles projected to grow from 20.3 million units in 2021 to 62.4 million units by 2030. But how would this trend take off in Maine and New Hampshire? With the biggest cities in the area being Portland, ME and Manchester and Nashua, NH, the real question is: would driverless cars be a safe and viable transportation option for the citizens?
One of the biggest concerns of this technology is the inability of the AI sensors to identify potential pedestrians crossing the streets outside of a designated crosswalk. This is why Maine and New Hampshire need to ensure that the technology is developed to a high standard, allowing citizens to trust the safety of the driverless cars before they can be deployed on the streets. There is no doubt that autonomy is the way of the future, so it is important that these states are well-prepared for the changes that driverless cars will bring.
