SELF-DRIVING CARS

An abbreviated history of the self-driving car industry from its past to its uncertain future.

Beginning with the late 19th century, Fallon (Dodgerland, 2016, etc.) constructs a linear account of automobile development, starting as early as 1478 with depictions of a self-propelled cart imagined by Leonardo da Vinci and going up through recent self-driving Google, Tesla, and Mercedes-Benz concept cars. An introduction and five short chapters cover the first self-propelled vehicles, with steam engines from the 1770s, the rise of American consumer car culture, and the inner workings of self-driving technology and the potential benefits of and obstacles to implementing it in practice. With many references to research studies scattered throughout, the book is generously illustrated with black-and-white and color photographs, maps, diagrams, etc. Isolated text boxes offer additional information. However, the book lacks a strong narrative, and Fallon fails to maintain a neutral tone; some chapters read like advertisements for certain car manufacturers. The subject is timely and interesting, but the prose unfortunately does not render the material noteworthy. The text also fails to address questions surrounding the ethical and social implications of self-driving vehicles and the potential hazards of the advancement of artificial intelligence.

Discerning readers may want to wait for a more comprehensive and compelling book on this subject.