Automated vehicles are NOT the answer… yet.
Automated vehicles hold the promise of eliminating human error which is a factor in more than 90% of crashes. The problem is that vehicle safety features take a long time to become universal; typically, 30 years in Australia. This means that even if a fully autonomous vehicle came onto the market tomorrow, it could be another 30 years before all cars on the road could drive themselves. Ensuring the best current vehicle safety features are mandated, and investing in road safety infrastructure such as flexible safety barriers, roundabouts, separated facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and raised intersections will continue to be the best way of preventing fatal and serious injuries on our roads for years to come.
(Video source: CASR)