Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1336090
8 OPINION 4.2.2021 F ully autonomous vehicles are not really here yet, at least not in the ways we've envisioned them in the past. ey are coming, but in the meantime, autonomous ca- pabilities allow for some pretty powerful and convenient func- tionality. As technology matures, this infotainment in cars will be- come more immersed allowing virtual-reality (VR) experienc- es to amuse vehicle occupants. ey can leverage their re- al-world location and sur- roundings to achieve enhanced productivity and leisure. Vehicles will become intelli- gent, and technologies such as driver monitoring will allow autonomous vehicle platforms to know when (and if ) vehicle occupants can and should take over driving or perform other duties. Electric buses using this autonomous technology are expected to become more popular in use than the person- al car for transport. Such buses are fairly boxy in shape, yet they transport 25 people and are mostly bat- tery-electric-powered with no manual controls whatsoever. ey are designed to operate at low speeds and have a lim- ited range, and they can be summoned and communicat- ed with remotely, generally via mobile apps. For people, who are just becoming acquainted with new mobility technology, the term "autonomous vehicle" may be somewhat confusing. We are living in a COVID-19 pandemic so one expects in- dustries to be hit by the im- pacts of the economic down- turn and a drastic decrease in commuter mobility. It is fair to assume that com- panies developing autonomous vehicles are also slowing down in their research and their abil- ity to test new models. As a general comment, one may argue that until a global 70% herd immunisation is reached few companies have much in- ertia to continue testing AV's. However, there are exceptions. Neolix, a Chinese driverless delivery startup, declares that orders for its small road-go- ing autonomous vehicles have spiked since the outbreak. e company's vehicles have been used in several ways: deliver- ing food to healthcare workers infected with the virus, moving medical supplies, and disin- fecting public places with its modified vehicles. In short, it's too early to say conclusively what the long- term impacts from COVID-19 will be, but in these early stag- es, it appears as the inoculation drive continues relentlessly in China (and Israel), this initi- ative will accelerate testing of autonomous vehicle deploy- ments. With greater public accept- ance and demonstrated use cases of autonomous vehicles driven in China, one hopes that by the end of the year more countries open up their streets for more testing opportunities. Such a prognosis indicates that adoption timelines will accelerate. e global auto- motive industry is under pres- sure to reduce emissions, both from government regulations and from consumers who are growing more conscious about the environmental impact of their fossil-fuelled vehicles. With increased popularity new electrified powertrains are a promising avenue to reduce or eliminate vehicle emissions for automakers. is is also partly due to the need to offset higher emissions of their larger inter- nal combustion engines, which causes more emissions. e EU is promising emission free atmosphere by 2050 and like other sectors, the automo- tive industry is under extreme pressure to reduce emissions. Obviously, climate-change minded commuters are more conscious of the environmen- tal impacts of their vehicle choices. In response to this challenge, electrified powertrains (to be followed by hydrogen fuel cells technology) are a promising avenue to reducing or elimi- nating emissions from vehi- cles. us, imagine a future scene when robotaxis become mainstream, then there will be a drastic drop in the number of cars on roads. Driverless cars are the future and firms like Tesla in Silicon Valley are investing heavily on such tech- nology. Still there is no denying that conventional car manufactur- ers, like Mercedes, GM, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW and Toyota are keen to join the gravy train. ey aggressively invest in auto tech which they hope will ena- ble them to be among the first to produce autonomous cars. By 2030, Europe should wit- ness a number of fully tried and tested autonomously vehicles. e question is - are we ready in Malta to face this transfor- mation? Will our town plan- ners embrace the challenge of fewer cars on the roads and design new flyovers and super highways to meet the future demand for more enlightened commuters? Europeans want to replicate the successful Tesla's adven- ture with a dream to develop their own advanced technol- ogy and software which leads to the manufacture of safe and efficient electric cars. Tesla are experimenting with au- tonomously driven vehicles - all fearlessly relying on use of multiple sensors and advanced computers to transport pas- sengers from A to B in comfort. All this at one third of the cost of traditional car ownership. Many now see technology firms as being better placed than carmakers to develop and profit from the software that will underpin automated driv- ing (e Economist, 2016). Is this the death knell for future car ownership in big cities? In the UK, Jaguar Land Rover's announced its policy to invest more to enhance its expertise in autonomous and electric technology, mainly employing more electronic and software engineers. It goes without saying, that autos of a bygone age such as the legendary Ford Model "T" cars, once a superlative feat of mechanics, have gracefully given way to electronic marvels on wheels. Armed with sensors like Mo- bileye, AV now have the capa- bility of parallel parking, seeing and heeding oncoming traffic, predicting merge time and gauging accurate speed. But is this a fantasy land or a true prediction of what may hit our roads in the medium term? Much depends on our attitude towards change and the prowess of our minister re- sponsible for energy. Transport technology based on A.I, will permit commuters to use cars temporarily charged to their smart phones and drop them off where they want. Car own- ership will gradually become merely a status symbol for en- thusiasts/collectors but the gen- eral public will disown cars and gradually endear itself to cheap rides on shared cars. It is a joy not having to bother where to park or recharge the car. For many, this article seems to be out of a fantasy movie where autonomous cars, won't need drivers, and could theo- retically be summoned by an App to come to your door. In fact, some predict that Europe- ans will only buy autonomous, electrical (or fuel cell) pow- ered cars by 2035 and that this in time, turns will label fossil fuelled vehicles as dinosaurs. With this encouraging sce- nario which promises clean air and blue skies, one hopes that the Hon Ms Dalli (our energy minister) will issue a cut-off date - ceasing permits for im- portation of fossil fuel cars and improve Government cash in- centives for commuters buying an electric vehicle. Killing emissions using driverless electric cars George Mangion George Mangion is a senior partner of an audit and consultancy firm, and has over 25 years experience in accounting, taxation, financial and consultancy services. His efforts have seen PKF being instrumental in establishing many companies in Malta and ensured PKF become one of the foremost professional financial service providers on the Island