How Dangerous are Self-Driving Cars?
VOA News
Last updated on: July 7, 2016 5:30 PM (source)
How Dangerous are Self-Driving Cars?
自動駕駛車真的安全嗎？
George Putic
July 7, 2016 5:30 PM
Are self-driving cars ready to hit the road? Skepticism abounds after a recent fatal crash in Florida, in which a 40-year-old man was killed while driving in autopilot mode.
Experts say the technology is constantly improving, but the public must be better informed about its limits.
The car involved in the Florida accident was a $100,000 Tesla Model S electric sedan, with technology that enables limited self-driving capabilities. But its manufacturer, Tesla Motors, has said that even when operating on autopilot, the driver should be ready to take control at any moment.
Experts say the widely used term "self-driving" is misleading since the technology still has limitations, and that using the terms "partially-automated" or "driver-assist feature" would be more appropriate.
Cars with a driver-assist feature can travel on highways at a constant speed, keep a safe distance from other cars, brake and accelerate according to the traffic flow, and even pass slower vehicles. However, drivers should still be actively monitoring the road.
Analyst Tim Carone of the University of Notre Dame told VOA that more accidents are inevitable as the number of partially-automated cars grows. But once problems are rectified, he predicts the new technology will dramatically reduce the number of crashes, lower consumption of fuel, and diminish emissions.
Currently, almost all major car manufacturers are developing fully autonomous vehicles, but how soon they hit the road will depend on the public’s perception of their safety.
自動駕駛車已經準備好要上路(hit the road)了嗎？相關質疑(skepticism)仍大量存在(abound)於社會各界。就在最近發生於佛羅里達州的一起致命的(fatal)車禍事件裡，一名四十歲男子在汽車處於自動駕駛(autopilot)的模式中喪命。
專家表示，自動駕駛的技術目前仍持續不斷地進步，不過民眾必須要更充分了解(be better informed about . . .)它的局限性(limits)。
佛羅里達州意外事故中的車輛是一部價值十萬美元的特斯拉S型(Tesla Model S)電動轎車(sedan)，該車款配備的技術具有執行有限自動駕駛的能力(capability)。但製造商特斯拉汽車公司(Tesla Motors)表示，即使是執行自動駕駛，駕駛者仍須隨時準備要手動控制。
專家說，被廣泛使用的「自駕(self-driving)」一詞其實是種誤導(misleading)，因為該技術仍有其局限性，若使用「部分自動化(partially-automated)」或「輔助駕駛性能(driver-assist feature)」等詞語可能更加合適。
具輔助駕駛性能的車輛能以穩定的(constant)速度於高速公路上行駛，與其他車輛保持安全距離，並依交通流量(traffic flow)進行減速剎車(brake)或加速，甚至能超越速度較慢的車輛，但駕駛者仍須主動積極地監看(monitor)路況。
聖母大學(University of Notre Dame)的分析員提姆‧卡羅尼(Tim Carone)於《美國之音》(VOA)受訪時表示，隨著部分自動化的汽車數量增加，不可避免的會有更多的車禍意外。但他預測，一旦問題被修正(rectify)，新技術將大幅度地(dramatically)降低車禍案件數，減低燃料消耗，並減少(diminish)廢氣排放(emission)。
目前幾乎所有主要的汽車製造商都在開發完全自動化的車輛，但這些車輛何時能真正上路仍將取決於大眾對其安全性的看法(perception)。
Language Notes
hit the road (v phr) 上路，出發，啟程；離開
skepticism [`skɛptə͵sɪzəm] (n) 質疑，懷疑的態度；懷疑論
* 相關的詞類變化有：skeptic (n) 懷疑（論）者；skeptical (a) 懷疑的，多疑的
abound (v) 大量存在；充足，充滿
* 本字有一常見的形容詞 “abundant”，指「大量的；充足的；豐富的；富裕的」
informed (a) 見多識廣的；瞭解情況的
* 本字的字根即是動詞 “inform”，意即「通知，告知，報告」
sedan [sɪ`dæn] (n) 轎車
misleading (a) 誤導的；讓人產生錯誤觀念的
* 字首 “mis-“ 表「錯誤，不當」之意
brake (v) （踩剎車）減速；刹車
* 本字亦常作名詞「剎車」使用，常見用法有：put on/apply the brakes 踩剎車；slam on the brakes 緊急剎車
monitor (v) 監控；監視，密切注視
rectify (v) 矯正；改正
diminish (v) 減少，減小，降低
emission [ɪ`mɪʃən] (n) （氣體、熱量、光線等的）排放，散發
* emit [ɪ`mɪt] (v) 散發，發射；發出
perception (n) 見解，觀念，看法
Check your vocabulary!
Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary changes. After you finish, highlight the blanks to reveal the hidden answers.
The school promised to keep parents informed about the situation.
The company's environmental claims have been regarded with skepticism by conservationists.
Every effort is made to rectify any errors before the book is printed.
These photographs will affect people's perceptions of war.
The government is monitoring the situation closely.
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