Driverless taxis are starting to appear on city streets as companies test how well this technology works in real traffic. These vehicles are designed to operate without a human driver, using sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to move safely and efficiently. While they offer convenience and innovation, they also raise questions about safety, trust, and the future of transportation.
Read this article to learn more about it. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czej9n578k9o
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “at the wheel” mean? “But when the service launches to paying passengers, there will be no human at the wheel.” Use this in a sentence.
- Define “fleet“. “The firm, which is owned by Google-parent Alphabet, showed off a fleet of cars it brought to the UK at London’s Transport Museum on Wednesday.” Make a sentence with this.
- What does “hail‘ mean in this context? “Passengers will be able to hail Waymo robotaxis via an app once the rules permit.” Use this in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- Would you feel comfortable riding in a driverless taxi? Why or why not?
- What do you think are the biggest advantages of driverless taxis?
- What concerns would people have about using a taxi with no human driver?
- How might driverless taxis affect the jobs of taxi drivers and ride-hailing drivers?
- What kind of rules should governments create before allowing driverless taxis on public roads?
- Do you think people will trust self-driving cars easily, or will it take a long time?