Autonomous, driverless, or self-driving cars are now a reality, despite seeming like an overambitious dream for so long. These driverless cars certainly have tons of benefits, and the first on the list is availing more free time to human beings. Time that would have otherwise been used driving will be gainfully spent working, reading, resting, and sleeping, among other things. Although the self-driving cars also have a few challenges, like driver unemployment and high costs, there are so many benefits, including the following:

1. Fewer traffic jams

The American Society of Civil Engineers recently estimated that Americans waste at least 6.9 billion hours each year held up in traffic. One researcher in traffic congestion study observed that by replacing as low as 5 percent of the number of vehicles on the road with automated and carefully controlled cars, it is possible to do away with the stop-and-go wave that results from human driving habits. Typically, human drivers naturally cause traffic flow delay by stop-and-go  traffic, despite there being no disruptions, lane changes, mergers, or any other good reason, a phenomenon known as “phantom traffic jam.” The researchers found that by directing the speed of the autonomous cars in the study, they could make the flow of all the cars run smoothly. Additionally, driverless cars can communicate among themselves to avoid routes with issues, and will reduce accidents by about 25%.

2. Improved safety

It is estimated that about 1.2 million people lose their lives annually due to traffic crashes, and 30,000 of these happen in the US. Studies have shown that even partial automation of driving processes can considerably reduce these accidents, making the roads safer for all users. It has already been shown that the installation of in-vehicle safety technologies, such as forward collision warning systems and automatic brakes, have reduced accidents. Such safety devices, as well as infotainment technologies like TV, are available from EyeRide, who you can check out at eyerideonline.com.

3. More free time

A recent study shows that, on average, a typical American spends 101 minutes driving each day. People will be in a better position to spend that time doing other beneficial things, like reading, surfing the Internet, studying, sleeping, catching up with friends and relatives, and other things. Also, people will get to their destinations faster, hence allowing more time to attend to other things.

4. Improved health

Traffic jams have been linked to many health issues, such as depression, high blood pressure, and anxiety, so when they are reduced or eliminated, such issues will also be reduced. Poor cardiovascular health and low quality sleep are also some problems associated with traffic, so they, too, would be lessened.

5. Creation of new jobs

It is true that driverless cars will cause people like taxi drivers, delivery people, and truck drivers to lose their jobs. On the other hand, a new set of jobs will be created, or their demand will rise drastically. Such jobs include software developers, hi-tech machine specialists, wireless network engineers, and many more.

Bottom line

Driverless cars will change the whole driving and commuting experience, opening doors to many opportunities while helping reduce a myriad of problems, like carbon emission and the need for large parking spaces. Autonomous cars will also reduce insurance premiums due to fewer accidents.