Autonomous Vehicle AcceptancePutka, Jeffrey EN585 Media, Information, and Communications TrendsProfessor MannheimerQuestion: What will be the consensus public perception on the proliferation of autonomous vehicles? Will there be acceptance or fear? Will people take a driverless bus or fly in a pilotless plane? Will people soon turn to personal drones to do their personal shopping for them? As with any new technology capable of replacing established technology, or the status quo, the public may be wary of its adoption, as was the case when the automobile was created. began to question the dominance of the horse-drawn carriage as the primary mode of long-distance travel. Follow-up question: When automobile technology supplanted the horse-drawn carriage as the primary mode of human travel, it also gave rise to modern suburbia and commuting, with cities' primary workforce no longer required to live a short distance from his workplace. Will automated modes of transportation lead to similar social changes? Will there be segregation between automated and non-automated transportation technologies? History of unmanned flight: Current technology used by the United States Air Force in its Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), or as the public understands more commonly known as "drones", traces its development to the United States Civil War, when the Union and Confederacy used hot air balloons to spy on the other side, attempting to determine troop strength, their movements and to direct artillery fire with more precision. During the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Army equipped a kite with a camera, resulting in the world's first aerial reconnaissance photos. When planes...... middle of paper...... positions eliminated, as they were replaced by automated means of ticketing and check-in. Ultimately, it is possible that these savings will be passed on to the consumer through a lower ticket price. SafetyRobot pilots and operators do not suffer from the same conditions as their counterparts, such as fatigue or emotional stress. They also benefit from more advanced sensing capabilities that could allow them to be more aware of their surroundings. Automated vehicles could respond better to emergency situations due to the lack of panic. Efficiency Just like safety, robots are not vulnerable to human conditions and therefore do not need to take breaks, which can lead to increased operating times. Additionally, air and ground vehicles could be operated more efficiently, reducing traffic jams and transit times..