Although the idea of driverless cars sounds fantastic, it seems a little too good to be true. I have faith in the engineers who will be designing the cars, but I have less faith in the people who will be in these self-driving cars.

As stated in the article "the Google car simply announces when the driver should be prepared to take over". That sounds easy enough, but what if the driver fell asleep? What if the driver had some kind of medical emergency and they fainted? What if the driver is paying too much attention to their phone to notice that there is an abstacle or accident ahead? What if? These are questions I don't want to answer from first hand experience. I do not trust other people to be responsible and ready to take action when the time comes for them to drive, perphaps in case of an emergency. At the same time, I do not want to put my life in the hands of a machine. Something could always malfunction.

When I think about future generations and how they might not have to learn how to drive, I get a little sentimental. Ever since cars have been around, its been a major milestone in a young peron's life to get their drivers license. Its a right of passage to becoming an adult. Getting your driver's license signals that you're independent. If self-driving cars really do become a thing of the future, getting a license might not be necessary, and young adults will no longer have this important right of passage.

Driving a car is a skill. Take NASCAR driving for example; its a sport based on skillful driving. Driving a car develops hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and problem solving abilities. If drivers make self-driving cars their main mode of transportation, they will no longer be developing these skills through driving. Driving your own car puts your life and others lives in your hands and forces you to think responsibily. Drivers will become careless and nonchalant about driving if they have driveless cars.

Who's to say that driverless cars are going to be revolutionary or fatal? The bottom line is that I'm putting my life into the hands of the car, and I only have one life. Why would I risk it?