Self-driving cars aren’t yet common on Australian roads, but a study of crash data from America has found that such vehicles are less likely to be involved in an accident than a human driver in most – but not every – situation.

Researchers from the University of Central Florida examined the accident data, mostly from California, of 2100 self-driving vehicles and 35,133 human-driven vehicles.

They found that “autonomous vehicles were generally safer and less likely to be involved in accidents during routine driving tasks, such as staying in lane or adjusting to traffic flow”.

“Autonomous vehicles were also shown to be safer upon rear-end and sideswipe accidents,” the research said.

“However, the current data show that autonomous vehicles seem to be more prone to accidents in specific situations, such as during low-light conditions at dawn or dusk and while executing turns.”

The study authors highlighted this as an area that needed further refinement to exceed human driving capabilities consistently.

Waymo succeeded where Uber couldn’t by bringing commercial autonomous vehicles onto the road. Photo: Waymo

Self-driving taxis

Australia doesn’t have self-driving taxis yet, but American company Waymo is using them in Phoenix, Arizona, and San Francisco.

The researchers said the vehicles’ sophisticated sensors and algorithms, which are designed to navigate traffic, reduce human error – a leading cause of traffic accidents.

“Automation of systems has been experiencing rapid development and has brought about a revolution in the transportation industry,” the researchers said.

“It is anticipated that the automation of systems will significantly reduce the number of accidents, as human errors contribute up to 90 per cent of accidents.”

They said there were many potential benefits from more autonomous vehicles on the road.

“The study suggests that autonomous vehicles have the potential to improve road safety,” the researchers said.

“It also underscores the importance of addressing technological limitations to ensure they can function safely in a broad range of circumstances.”

Challenges

The research found that when lighting conditions change, such as during dusk, it often affects autonomous vehicles’ (AV) ability to detect “obstacles, pedestrians, and other vehicles”.

“At dawn and dusk, for instance, the sun’s shadows and reflections may confuse sensors, making it hard for them to distinguish between objects and identify potential hazards,” they said.

“Furthermore, the fluctuating light conditions can impact the accuracy of object detection and recognition algorithms used by AVs, which can result in false positives or negatives.”

Despite this, the research found that “AVs experience relatively lower risks in rear-end and broadside accidents”.

“This finding indicates that AVs may detect and react to potential rear-end and sideswipe accident situations much faster than humans can,” the research said.

“This is because they are equipped with advanced sensors and software that can quickly analyse the surrounding environment and make decisions based on the data received.”

Uber, which poured millions into its autonomous vehicle division before scrapping the plans, is now offering rideshare options in Waymo vehicles.

Australia’s road toll

The data about self-driving vehicles comes amid an alarming surge in Australia’s road toll.

The Australian Automobile Association said on Tuesday the number of road deaths rose 10.4 per cent nationally to 1303 in the year to May.

It includes a major crash on a rural road west of Brisbane on Monday that killed a father and his two children. The children’s mother was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King said the Albanese government was committed to working with states and territories to reduce the national road toll, “which is why we’re prioritising the delivery of a nationally-harmonised road data set to better inform road safety funding”.

“We’re also seeking to make data-sharing a requirement of the Commonwealth’s road-funding agreements with the states and territories,” she said.

“An agreement of this kind is a first for Australia; it will give us a more accurate picture of what roads need upgrading and what more we can do to save lives.”