In this blog post, we will look at the role and possibilities of eco-friendly cars in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which will bring us closer to the era of driverless cars.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Driverless Cars
The era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, represented by the convergence of cutting-edge intelligent information technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data with existing industries, is upon us. The First Industrial Revolution brought about the mechanization revolution based on the steam engine. This led to the creation of machines that could replace human labor and dramatically improved productivity. As time passed, it led to the second and third industrial revolutions, and electricity and information technology changed society faster and more efficiently. In comparison, the fourth industrial revolution is taking information and communication technology to the next level through the convergence of intelligence and information, and it is heralding changes that are qualitatively different from those of previous industrial revolutions.
Over the past 200 years, science and technology have been evolving nonstop. Now, science and technology are combining with artificial intelligence to approach a state where they can judge and process information on their own without human intervention. These technological advancements are deeply ingrained in our society and have the potential to fundamentally change human life. This is because technology has entered the realm of intelligence, which was once considered the exclusive domain of humans, and is bound to have a major impact on our society and economy as a whole. The era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is innovation itself.
The automotive industry and the development of driverless cars
The automotive industry is also not free from the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In the past few years, there have been consistent attempts to integrate intelligent information technology into the automotive industry, and as a result, we have created a new concept: the autonomous car. An autonomous car is a self-driving vehicle that can navigate and operate automatically without human assistance. There are many challenges that must be overcome for a car to drive unmanned, including the ever-changing road conditions and the risk of accidents that can occur at any time.
To solve this problem, unmanned vehicles inevitably use various intelligent information technologies. They use airborne laser radar (LIDAR) and GPS and computer vision technologies to obtain information on road conditions, which they analyze using various existing big data to drive on the road by themselves. Thanks to the convergence of these technologies, unmanned vehicles can now drive in certain situations without the intervention of a driver. Although it is not yet a fully autonomous vehicle, it is a remarkable step forward. The right to drive on the road, which was granted to us only after we learned the traffic laws and gained driving experience, is now also granted to technology, a byproduct of human accidents.
The Present and Future of Autonomous Vehicles
Google’s self-driving car, known as the Google Car, was the first in the world to receive a test license in the United States in 2012. As unmanned vehicles are attracting people’s attention and establishing themselves as a new technology, many countries are challenging the unmanned vehicle industry. South Korea is also stepping up its research on unmanned vehicles. According to a report on smart vehicle industry technology by the Korea Economic Research Institute, South Korea ranks second in the world in terms of the number of patent applications for smart vehicle technology. As such, the unmanned vehicle industry is a top priority in Korea, and both the government and private companies are investing a huge amount of resources into the commercialization of this technology.
As the unmanned vehicle industry is so active, a fully unmanned vehicle will surely be invented in the near future. If unmanned vehicles become commercialized, many people will be able to enjoy a convenient life. Drivers will be able to use the time they spend traveling by car as free time to increase their efficiency, and a safe driving culture will be created without the risk of accidents such as drowsy driving. In addition, people who cannot drive a car will be able to use it, and some people with disabilities who have difficulty using public transportation will be able to move around more conveniently. As a result, the market for driverless cars is expected to expand and demand will increase rapidly.
However, if a world comes where anyone can freely use a car, we cannot help but think about the environmental pollution that will result. This is because as the demand for cars increases, so does the possibility of environmental pollution. Fortunately, most driverless cars are being developed based on eco-friendly cars. Tesla, a well-known car company, is developing an electric driverless car, and Google is developing a hybrid driverless car. Eco-friendly cars are the basis for the development of driverless cars. It is safe to say that eco-friendly cars are leading the way for driverless cars.
We get the impression that the environmental pollution problem caused by the commercialization of these driverless cars has been solved. This is because the increase in the number of driverless cars also means an increase in the number of eco-friendly cars. However, the problem is that eco-friendly cars have not yet been commercialized. In light of the current situation, it is difficult to say that the conditions for the convenient use of eco-friendly cars have been established. The fact that eco-friendly cars have not been commercialized still leaves room for environmental pollution, as unmanned cars are based on eco-friendly cars. This is because it means that the conditions and environment have not been established for unmanned cars to be commercialized and for anyone to use them freely.
Preparing for the Future
At the moment, when eco-friendly cars are not widely used, it may be premature to study driverless cars. Therefore, while conducting research on driverless cars, institutional efforts should be made to commercialize eco-friendly cars. There is no doubt that developing technology is important. The driverless car industry is clearly set to grow into an industry that will shake the world. In this global trend, South Korea should not lag behind and should invest in the development of related technologies.
However, the purpose of researching unmanned vehicles is ultimately to make our lives more convenient. It would be ridiculous if the unmanned vehicles developed for the sake of humans could not be commercialized due to a lack of institutional requirements. The government should expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations and create a system that will allow the commercialization of other eco-friendly vehicles, such as hydrogen cars. It should also conduct a campaign to raise awareness of eco-friendly vehicles among citizens and create a social atmosphere that encourages the widespread use of eco-friendly vehicles. To this end, specific policies should be put in place, such as providing tax breaks to eco-friendly vehicle users, if necessary.
The world of driverless cars is no longer a story of the distant future. As evidenced by the intense efforts of companies around the world, driverless car technology is advancing. Although it is difficult to call them fully driverless at this point, it is clear that they will be developed in the near future at an astonishing rate of technological advancement. Therefore, we must be fully prepared for the world of driverless cars that will arrive someday. To do so, we must first lay the foundation for commercializing eco-friendly vehicles, which are the basis for driverless cars. The government should take the lead in developing policies for the commercialization of eco-friendly vehicles. Only when eco-friendly vehicles are commercialized after going through various preparation processes will driverless cars be able to demonstrate their value. The first step towards a world of driverless cars begins with the commercialization of eco-friendly vehicles.
