Safety is one of the greatest benefits—and biggest concerns—of autonomous vehicles. This comes as no surprise since road safety is already a major issue in many parts of the world. When you add the idea of self-driving cars into the mix, people are bound to have concerns. That’s why leaders of autonomous vehicle development work hard to not only create advanced safety systems, but to also continuously update and develop new solutions to improve safety measures.

There are plenty of ways to increase safety in autonomous driving both now and throughout the future of self-driving cars. Read on to learn more about the practices, innovations, and solutions that will continue to improve the landscape of autonomous vehicles.

Invest in Robust Cybersecurity

Autonomous cars are a technology segment of Internet of Things, which means—like most technology—they face the threat of cyberattacks. Cybersecurity is a major concern for autonomous vehicles, but developers are rising to the challenge to negate the risks of hacking, malware, and other threats.

The solution is a multi-layered system that revolves around two main objectives. The first involves prioritizing defenses around critical vehicle features, such as sensors and navigation, to prevent cyberattacks. The second emphasizes attack detection and rapid response times. This allows the vehicle to recover quickly and minimize damage as much as possible in the rare event of a successful cyberattack. This comprehensive approach creates a more robust cybersecurity system that keeps vehicles, their passengers, and other parties on the road safe.

Rethink Road Design

Autonomous vehicles will be most effective within infrastructure that matches their strengths. One way to increase safety in autonomous driving is to rethink city planning with self-driving vehicles in mind. Innovations like smart roads with built-in sensors or on-road telematics to power inter-vehicle communication allow autonomous vehicles to operate more safely and efficiently.

These changes are mutually beneficial. For example, cities that rethink infrastructure to take full advantage of autonomous vehicles will see an even greater reduction in traffic congestion. This allows city planners to reform roadways to provide more room for pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, green areas, and other non-driving applications.

Improve Public Education

Even the youngest drivers of today grew up thinking of self-driving cars as little more than science fiction. As exciting as the future of autonomous driving is, it’s natural for the average person to be nervous or even reluctant about the idea. That’s why public, widespread education about autonomous vehicles is essential to the industry’s future success. Efforts to teach drivers about how autonomous vehicles work and how they’ll operate on roads will help emphasize the safety benefits of self-driving cars, as well as minimize safety risks stemming from user error.

From increased road safety to revolutionary transportation systems, the future of autonomous driving is bright. Hesai Technology is proud to take part in that future by providing short-range lidar sensors and other cutting-edge lidar technology for autonomous vehicles, ADAS, and other promising applications. Learn more about how we serve autonomous vehicles and their efforts to increase safety and efficiency when you visit Hesai Technology today.