Will Self Driving Cars Ever Come To Nigeria?

The world we live in is nothing short of phenomenal. We have witnessed many evolutionary trends and there is no doubt that there is more to come. An aspect worth paying attention to in particular is the automobile industry. The industry is moving at lightning speed. This is due to the fact that transportation is something that is inevitable and cars have to be available and continue being in existence.

Sophistication is another interesting addition to the automobile world. We have witnessed various generations of sophisticated vehicles and subsequent upgrades in the sophistication levels.

Self-Driving Cars In Nigeria?

The focus of this write up is self-driving cars and if they will ever come to Nigeria. Those are cars without drivers controlling them. For those familiar with the trends in the automobile industry like Tesla Cars, this would not be the first time you would be exposed to something about self-driving cars. However, for those who are not so familiar with the industry, this is an opportunity to learn. 

What Are Self-Driving Cars?

Self-driving cars can also be referred to as robotic cars or autonomous cars that operate without little or no human effort. Controversies have come up as to what self-driving cars are. Some of them are of the opinion that a car can only be called autonomous if it is at level 5 automation. Others are of the view that as long as it can perform certain functions without the effort of a driver, then it is an autonomous car.

In the simplest form, self-driving cars are cars that require no driver to operate. They are cars that have the ability to navigate routes without human input. The truth is that humans made them function that way, so we can say there is human input instrumental to their existence but what we really mean is that they do not require humans to drive them like other cars.

So, next time you are driving and you happen to come across a car without a driver, do not abandon your car and be shocked. It is just innovation at work. Also, it is worthy of note that the fact that a car is in auto mode does not make it independent of human input from time to time. This is important to note for people who may be careless and leave everything in their car.

How Did Self-Driving Cars Originate 

A lot of efforts have been made to the automated driving system for a period of years. It all began in 1977 in Japan where Tsukuba Engineering laboratory developed the first semi-automated car. Since then, various attempts have been achieved in self-driving car research.

The Different Levels Of Car Automation

There are different levels to car automation, and most times, there are 6 levels, and each level has its peculiarity. They include;

1. The first level, which is level 0, in which all major car functions are controlled by a human.
2. The second level, which is level 1, is one in which a couple of systems, for instance, automatic braking, cruise control, are controlled by the car.
3. The third level of car automation involves the car performing at the same time, not less than two functions that are automated. For instance, Steering and at the same time accelerating. However, the effort of man is still required.
4. The fourth level entails the car managing all safety functions which are under particular conditions. The car possesses advanced driver assistance systems. The driver is however expected to take charge once alerted.
5. The highest level is such in which the car is completely autonomous in certain driving scenarios.
6. The final level is one in which the car is able to drive itself under every circumstance. This is the level under which self-driving cars fall.

How Do Self-Driving Cars Work?

With the development of automated driving systems (ADS) by various technology companies such as Tesla, Google, Uber and Nissan, self-driving is now made possible.

One common thing that is put in place by the self-driving system is an internal map with self-driving cars’ sensors. These sensors, with the help of software, will help to communicate with the vehicle adequately to carry out the functions that a human who is driving would perform.

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Vehicles that are partially autonomous may require the human factor in situations where things get out of hand. Some do not and are even made without steering wheels. Another notable thing is that some self-driving cars are able to communicate with automated traffic lights.

Can Self-Driving Cars Work In Nigeria?

This is a very big question because of the peculiarity of our very own country. There are also some factors to consider which are explained below;

1. Safety: Safety is an important factor to be put into perspective because we are in fact able to talk about driving cars since we are safe. A lot of casualties are caused by road traffic accidents, and while it seems as though automated car systems could reduce that, what happens when things go wrong with the car system, and there is no human intervention to solve things? 
2. Roads infrastructure: This is something to be talked about first. We need no soothsayer to tell us about the bad condition of most roads in Nigeria. It is quite bad that some even blame themselves for not putting into memory the number of potholes on a route. It is hard to see how self-driving cars can survive under such circumstances. Still talking about road infrastructure, think about our traffic lights and their conditions. How can driverless cars adequately fit in when they depend on sensors that could be based on good environmental conditions? If the self-driving car is one that depends on electricity, we all know the state of electricity in Nigeria is nothing to write home about.
3. Maintenance and costs: Let is talk about the maintenance and cost of running a self-driving car. Just like the cost of running electric cars, the cost of maintaining a self-driving car and it’s applications is another factor that should be put into consideration. Based on these factors, it would be wise for certain things to be put in place before we can indeed say we are ready for self-driving cars in Nigeria.