Overview

Driverless cars are the future – just around the corner. That is what the tech giants, the auto industry and even the government want us to think. But closer inspection reveals that we are much further from that driverless utopia than we are led to believe by newspaper headlines and by press releases from firms with vested interests. Christian Wolmar argues that autonomous cars are the wrong solution to the wrong problem. Even if the many technical difficulties that stand in the way of achieving a driverless future can be surmounted, autonomous cars are not the best way to address the problems of congestion and pollution caused by our long obsession with the private car. This entertaining polemic sets out the many technical, legal and moral problems that obstruct the path to a driverless future, and debunks many of the myths around that future's purported benefits.

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9781907994753

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Reviews

`This is just what the robot evangelists don’t want you to read: a rational, level-headed, compelling yet cheerful analysis of why the driverless car`s route to success is so uncertain. Wolmar has simmered the hype to reveal why autonomous cars probably aren’t coming to a street near you anything like as soon as you’ve been led to believe.’ Giles Chapman, commentator on car culture and award-winning author.; `Christian Wolmar applies his forensic skills to devastating effect in this exposé of the unfolding driverless car fraud. This is a book to be read twice: first today, and then again in 2021, when the promises made by government and industry about the widespread adoption of fully driverless cars by that date will be easily tested. Reading in 2021 will provide grim satisfaction.’ John Adams, Emeritus Professor at University College London.; `Christian Wolmar demonstrates once again why he`s such an excellent – and much-needed – transport writer. This book is an indispensable and thought-provoking counterpoint to what seems to have become the accepted wisdom on autonomous vehicles. Read it and you will definitely think twice next time you are told that they’re the answer to our transport problems.’ Jon Shaw, Professor of Geography at University of Plymouth.; `Christian Wolmar shows us that the issues surrounding autonomous vehicles are basically about the power and freedom of different types of road user, and who wins and loses from their application. He lists in detail the issues that work against autonomous vehicles being any real kind of solution to the health and environmental transport problems we have. This book is a powerful argument against further resources going up the “road to nowhere”.’ Robert Davis, Chair of the Road Danger Reduction Forum

`This is just what the robot evangelists don't want you to read: a rational, level-headed, compelling yet cheerful analysis of why the driverless car`s route to success is so uncertain. Wolmar has simmered the hype to reveal why autonomous cars probably aren't coming to a street near you anything like as soon as you've been led to believe.' Giles Chapman, commentator on car culture and award-winning author.; `Christian Wolmar applies his forensic skills to devastating effect in this expose of the unfolding driverless car fraud. This is a book to be read twice: first today, and then again in 2021, when the promises made by government and industry about the widespread adoption of fully driverless cars by that date will be easily tested. Reading in 2021 will provide grim satisfaction.' John Adams, Emeritus Professor at University College London.; `Christian Wolmar demonstrates once again why he`s such an excellent - and much-needed - transport writer. This book is an indispensable and thought-provoking counterpoint to what seems to have become the accepted wisdom on autonomous vehicles. Read it and you will definitely think twice next time you are told that they're the answer to our transport problems.' Jon Shaw, Professor of Geography at University of Plymouth.; `Christian Wolmar shows us that the issues surrounding autonomous vehicles are basically about the power and freedom of different types of road user, and who wins and loses from their application. He lists in detail the issues that work against autonomous vehicles being any real kind of solution to the health and environmental transport problems we have. This book is a powerful argument against further resources going up the road to nowhere .' Robert Davis, Chair of the Road Danger Reduction Forum

Author Information

Christian Wolmar is an award-winning writer and broadcaster and is widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading commentators on transport. He is the author of more than a dozen books on transport issues including 'Are Trams Socialist?' and regularly appears on TV and radio. He has written for The New Statesman, The Times, The Guardian and The Oldie among many other publications.

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