Google, BMW and Other Driverless Cars and Their Implications

Driverless car technology merges the latest developments in the field of automotive and the world of computing. Imagine being able to go places and not miss a view because you are not driving. Imagine being able to continue your sleep inside the car on your way to the office. Imagine not reading anything as you navigate your way around a city.

This latest development in transportation seeks to make our lives safer and more convenient. Car to car communication, GPS, driver alert systems and powerful processors all make driverless cars possible. On the green side, these cars are also being designed to be more fuel efficient.

But the driverless car technology must also answer a fundamental question before it is made available to the world: What will you do to the millions of drivers that they will displace?

In a world plagued by increasing unemployment rate, this new technology can rob people of their livelihood and eventually, their lives. Think of the millions who are earning their living either by dropping you off to your nearest destination or through delivering your latest purchase. Then think when they are gone.

New technologies are supposed to generate more jobs if they cannot make everybody’s life easier.

Why A Diverse Alternative Fuel Vehicle Industry Will Not Work

One of the problems faced by the alternative energy industry today is that each new technology, whether from biofuels, solar, wind or hydrogen, is being taken as a whole. As such, a failure of one is deemed as a failure of the entire alternative energy industry.

For instance, the recent test regarding the Chevy Volt catching fire is being viewed as a sign that alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), whether or not they are electric vehicles, are unsafe.

Marketing Natural Gas Vehicles

The viability of using natural gas as fuel is undeniable. Even CanElson Drilling Inc., a Canada-based oilfield service provider, uses it as a replacement for diesel in their trucks. They even developed a revolutionary technology to harvest natural gas from wells. And recently, telecom giant AT&T announced that they have launched their 5,000th alternative fuel vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). Both companies view natural gas as a cheaper and cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.

Source: Jeanette ONeil / www.publicdomainpictures.net

If companies view natural gas as a feasible alternative to fossil fuel, why aren’t ordinary consumers making the switch yet?

Even though the technology is already available and major car manufacturers such as General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Fiat and Volkswagen have models plying the streets of Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, Iran and India, consumers in general are still unaware of their presence. The current marketing strategies for natural gas vehicles are inadequate for ordinary consumers to trust them as a replacement for conventional vehicles.

The Importance of Supporting Wind Power in the US

US President Barrack Obama has reiterated the importance of developing alternative energy sources in his State of the Union. Emphasis was given particularly to the wind energy sector as Bryan Ritterby, an employee of wind technology company Energetx Composites, sits beside the First Lady.

Developing alternative energy sources is very important to an energy hungry country like the United States. With globalization and tendencies of manufacturing companies to outsource manpower to other countries that can provide cheap labor, it is essential for the US to find other means to generate income. Having a well-developed alternative energy industry will not only contribute to fuel independence but it will also open avenues for exporting hugely abundant natural gas to other countries.

Much more, the US is a leading wind turbine manufacturer and handing this lead to another country will mean unemployment later on. It will be unwise to stop supporting wind energy and other alternative energy developments if they have been proven to work.

CompactGTL and Natural Gas

Natural gas is also making progress as a viable replacement for petroleum in vehicles. CompactGTL, a company currently developing new technologies in the oilfield industry, announced that their revolutionary small scale modular facility for converting natural gas to liquid oil has just passed the Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) test. This will make their technology closer to commercial introduction.

Liquifying natural gas is essential because it greatly reduces the volume, meaning more energy is transported with lesser space. This makes liquefied natural gas more efficient and practical to use. With CompactGTL’s small scale modular facility, liquefying natural gas can be done closer to distribution facilities making the cost more attractive to the consumers.

For more information, you may visit compactgtl.com.