Knowing Where to Go: An Empty Driver's Seat

Living south of the metro has desensitized me to one of the biggest evils of a developing nation: traffic. I've grown used to the reality of two-hour long journeys, readily accept the need to wake up as much as three hours earlier than everybody else, and am very familiar with the interior of a vehicle. The sheer amount of time I spend on the road probably gives me the dubious benefit of seeing more rear-endings, side-swipings, traffic violations, and the concomitant horn-honking representative of the status quo. Whether the adventure is due to the aggressiveness of the resident decrepit jeepney, or that BMW driver's human error, a day on Philippine roads is best experienced with a securely fastened seatbelt.
The reality of traffic jams, vehicular accidents, and busy lifestyles has caused technology to develop an intriguing concept: driverless cars. The idea is that vehicles will be programmed to drive on its own by "sensing" nearby solid objects, leaving the human erstwhile driver free to pursue his leisure activity of choice during the commute. Theoretically, computer precision and accuracy will prevent mishaps attributable to human error, reduce traffic by maximizing road space, and generally relieve commuters of the need to drive--a once-trailblazing concept that is now considered a chore.
This kind of technological development may seem like a stroke of brilliance, especially for those who, like me, have yet to learn to drive despite being almost a quarter of a century into their lives. However, strokes of brilliance often come at the expense of other concerns. Apart from the attendant legal issues involved--which include questions of liability and privacy--this recent development, though certainly amazing, appears to be in response to a faint need, if indeed one exists. Will this kind of technology really help people lead better, more fulfilling lives, or simply allow business concerns to encroach even more upon their lives? Indeed, a driverless car is a poor proposal to reduce fatalities caused by drunk driving, or as a result of drivers asleep at the wheel. Where abstention, a reasonable work schedule, healthy lifestyle, or simple caution would suffice, there doesn't appear to be a need for such revolutionary technology--which would incidentally, deprive certain people of their livelihood. If anything, this driverless car technology, as do many technological innovations we have today, would only disguise the true problems plaguing society.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_hi_te/gadget_show_driverless_cars;_ylt=At6tT2pRL4xwJfTyaySKf4as0NUE