Many Cars, No Drivers?

What did U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx predict in 2016?

• That autonomous vehicles would be carrying lots of people to work or school within five years.

• That driverless cars would never become a reality.

• That driverless cars would be available only in Europe.

• That human-driven cars would become obsolete.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Which of the following is NOT a feature already available on new cars for automated driving?

• Real-time cameras and artificial intelligence (AI).

• Sensors that detect obstacles.

• Electronic stability control systems.

• Automatic emergency braking.

What is one reason why driverless cars might be safer than human-driven vehicles?

• Driver error often causes accidents.

• Driverless cars can fly.

• Driverless cars are slower.

• Driverless cars are cheaper.

What is one of the complaints riders have about Google's Waymo robot taxi service?

• Shaky driving and weird drop-offs.

• Too many human drivers.

• Too fast driving.

• Too expensive.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

According to a survey by the Partners for Automated Vehicle Education, what is the public opinion on driverless cars?

• Most Americans are skeptical about the safety of these cars.

• Most Americans are excited about driverless cars.

• Most Americans have never heard of driverless cars.

• Most Americans think driverless cars are too expensive.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

In 2016, what new technology did U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx predict would change the way that Americans get around?

• autonomous vehicles

• jet planes

• steam-powered engines

• augmented reality

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

The author lists some features necessary for autonomous vehicles that are currently available in normal cars as safety features. What is an example of one of these features?

• voice-controlled braking and steering systems

• voice-controlled heating and air conditioning

• automatic emergency braking systems

• automatic lights that turn on at night

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What is one reason why driverless cars probably haven’t yet reached the popularity that Anthony Foxx predicted in 2016?

• Many Americans still don’t trust driverless cars and don’t want to use them.

• Many Americans can’t afford to take driverless taxis because they’re so expensive.

• Many major car companies said that they wouldn’t make driverless cars.

• Many American states have banned driverless cars for safety reasons.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

In order to react like a human driver would, driverless cars must have the ability to make decisions in the moment.

What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

• “In addition, driverless vehicles might even be safer than human-driven vehicles. After all, it is often driver error that causes accidents.”

• “Despite progress, the roads won’t be full of automatic vehicles very soon.”

• “Engineers have already delivered numerous innovations necessary for automated driving. Some are available on new cars as safety features.”

• “[Driverless cars] will need to be able to change their route in order to avoid unexpected construction or an accident that is blocking traffic.”

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

What is the main idea of this text?

• Driverless cars have some features that are already included in many cars, including automatic braking systems, sensors that detect obstacles, and stability control.

• Driverless cars are being developed to include safety features and real-time decision making powers, but they still have a way to go before they become a major part of U.S. transportation.

• Waymo is a Google service that is offering driverless taxis to customers in Arizona and California, but human drivers are still in those cars to monitor the robot taxis.

• Many Americans are uncomfortable with the idea of riding in a driverless vehicle for safety reasons, but some people are excited about the future of driverless cars.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2