While we may not yet be at the point of Herbie fully loaded. We are getting closer and closer to the driverless car.

This means we could soon have a car that can guide and drive itself without an human conduction. This type of vehicle is no longer a part of the Sci-Fi world. All going well, it will happen in our lifetime.

Freedom for Disabled People?

For those living with a disability, driverless cars could offer them the next level of independence and freedom. It could revolutionize how they get around, where they can go.

Yes, there there has been a wealth of advancements over the last few decades in driving technology for wheelchair users. But, this doesn’t always extend to individuals with visual impairment and other health issues, which eliminates the possibility of obtaining a driving license.

While previously disabled may have had to rely on Carers, family and public transport to get out and about daily, self-driving cars open a new wealth of possibilities. An autonomous vehicle could allow a user to:

• Travel further to work
• Explore areas which aren’t served by public transport
• Organize their own lives

whereas in the past this might not have been possible.

These cars may also provide the ideal solution to disabled parking. Users would simply pull up outside the location and the car could park itself elsewhere – perfect if all the disabled spots are taken.

Are Autonomous cars safe?

The safety of autonomous vehicles is a worry for many observers. However, Google claims these cars will be even safer than human-driven vehicles. This is down to the lack of human error.

Computers will not get tired or distracted and the company claims to have already tested them out on over 300,000 miles of road, without one single incident.

Google has asked a blind person to test its autonomous vehicles. Microsoft recently released an app called “Seeing AI” that helps visually impaired people better sense and understand the world around them. This Seeing AI uses machine learning, natural language processing and computer vision to understand the world and describe it in words to the user.

We are thrilled to see these advances in technology. Equality and access for all takes a step in the right direction.

 

While we may still have to wait for these driver less cars, you don’t have to wait for a stylish kettle tipper. Say hello to the Uccello Kettle. It was thoughtfully designed for those with limited strength, mobility, visibility and dexterity. There is no more heavy lifting, you need only use its tilt-to-pour action with 1 finger to enjoy your cup of tea.