How soon can self-driving electric vehicles be a reality

Ever since Norman Bel Geddes created the first self-driving car in 1939, almost every automobile manufacturer in the world has been trying to get their vehicles to move without a driver. From the Tesla cars to UPS’s self-driving trucks, self-driving vehicles seem very close to mass adoption. But the road ahead seems very long for Electric Vehicles. The limit on their range and limited options for refuelling make EVs a very unpopular choice even given their environment-friendly nature.

Combining both might seem counterintuitive at first, as the self-driving tech might further reduce the range of electric vehicles. Advances in sensor technology and research into self-driving algorithms suggests that autonomous electric vehicles can be more efficient than their manually-driven counterparts. Also, this coupled with the fact that self-driving cars plot their own routes, means that these vehicles can choose the most convenient charging points for their users’ needs – like charging during snacks or bathroom breaks.

In the current market scenario, EVs are costlier than normal vehicles, but many experts say that this will change very fast as battery costs continue to fall fast. Also, innovation in the sector can lead to more efficient batteries and more practical EVs. The advance of technology and the commitment that is shown by companies like Tesla in the pursuit of fully autonomous electric vehicles is sure to make self-driving electric cars a reality sooner rather than later. The future of driving is looking more automatic than ever before.