The last two decades have seen an explosion in technological innovation and growth in the United States, ranging from the rise of social media platforms and smartphones to more recent advances in artificial intelligence and quantum computing. On the whole, the U.S. is in a veritable tech boom, and undoubtedly the biggest drivers of that innovation are the successful tech companies founded and based here in the U.S.
One especially exciting new technology in the works is the self-driving or autonomous vehicle (AV). In recent years, more companies have begun to invest in research and development for driverless cars and the benefits they offer. Some of those benefits include helping Americans with disabilities find work. According to one study, if more AVs were available as an alternative to public transportation, 9.2 million Americans would be able to better participate in the labor force. Other researchers and industry experts have estimated that advancements in AVs could provide a cost-effective way to tackle climate change.
None of this would be possible without the innovative American tech companies investing in research and development for AVs. Amazon, for example, has accelerated its own research on AVs and recently rolled out a successful demonstration of its own self-driving car and has plans to offer the product to the general public. Similarly, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, recently began testing AV prototypes in Austin, Texas.
AVs are one of many innovations being driven by America’s tech companies. The technology required to ensure AVs can operate efficiently and safely will require a great deal of research and testing before AVs can be fully deployed. Fortunately, Alphabet, Amazon, and others like them are dedicated to fine tuning the technology now so that soon Americans can enjoy the benefits of AVs.