Driverless cars or fully-autonomous cars are still a distant future. Tesla, which is leading the race when it comes to autonomous cars, has only managed to achieve level 2-level 3 autonomy. Even in developed countries, where there is some form of supporting infrastructure, driverless cars with level 5 autonomy are still some time away. Thinking of a driverless car on Indian roads, considering the how haphazard things are, be it in terms of infrastructure or driving conditions, seems almost impossible. However, this is not the sole reason why the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari won’t allow driverless cars in India.
According to the Union Minister, allowing driverless cars in India would translate into lakhs of jobs being lost. Addressing an event in New Delhi, Gadkari said “Several big personalities from the country met me and said they want to bring driverless vehicles to India. I clearly told them that till I am there, I shall not allow driverless cars in India. I was asked whether I oppose new technology. I said not at all. He further added that “There are 40 lakh drivers in the country and a shortage of 25 lakh drivers. I will not let the jobs of 1 crore people be snatched away,”
Even if we keep the factor of jobs aside, India, at the moment, is not ready to implement driverless vehicle technology. We would need a robust infrastructure along with organized driving conditions for a fully autonomous vehicle to work in India.
Inputs: PTI
