Would you put your child alone into a self-driving vehicle?

[GreenTeaLikesMe]

Just that, really. I was having a think about this today, and wondered what others would do.

For the sake of arguing:

a) Let's assume we are at a point in the future where self-driving vehicles offer a level of safety-against-traffic-crashes that is comparable to a human driver, on any type of road in a city or on a motorway (at the moment, it seems that the self-driving vehicles being used in places like California are mostly operating on certain types of city streets and are not able to move independently on every type of street yet)

b) Let's assume we are talking primary school aged kids, 5-11

Would you put your child in such a vehicle to travel alone, to things like a sports club or a friend's house?

If they're working as well as a professional driver under any conditions, yeah. I'd need it to have additional failsafes that stop unknown persons entering the vehicle and don't let the kid out during normal operation, but permit easy exit in emergencies.

I wouldn't leave a kid that age alone in a house so no, I wouldn't. I wouldn't let them walk to school alone until about 9 or 10.
You can put a kid in a car and do up the car seat but they can suddenly learn how to undo the straps, have an unexpected wee, get upset for no reason or just decide they don't wanna go to school today. None of those things would turn out great if they're alone.

Wouldn’t it be amazing not to have to do the school run!! I wouldn’t go in one myself, let alone my kids because it will be hackable. That means you can be held to ransom in your car.

No, I'd consider it equivalent to a taxi, but without the driver. At that age they'd still need a chaperone like they have in school transport.

Probably not, but if it becomes the norm, I guess people’s opinions change. I’d go in one around a town, not a motorway!

No, because the self-driving car could be in a traffic jam/break down or even an accident caused by a 'normal' vehicle. Then the child would be worried or possibly hurt/alone while waiting for assistance.

I can seen it being very a useful option for adults who can't drive for medical reasons though. Or older people who want to give up driving yet still get about independently.

No, I wouldn't allow my 5-10 year old children in a taxi alone either!

Once they get to the age where I would allow them to go out indepently by public transport then yes.

Oh, and I should add....

You are being unreasonable - Yes, I would allow this
You are NOT being unreasonable - No, I would NOT allow this

(Just to clarify)

I lean towards no. A hotel room is inherently safer than a car moving around in public spaces, and all the technological safeguards that could be put into a car could be used to make a hotel room safer, and yet... at the end of the day, I'd be too chicken to leave a child in a hotel room, even with special door safety technology and observation cameras and whatnot. As with Madelein McCann, my hunch is that it would only take a few tragic incidents to make "lone child in self driving car" taboo for parents. But maybe I'm wrong.

I do think SD cars could be useful for rural residents who'd like to go to the pub or have a drink or two at a friend's house!

At the other end of the age timeline I'm hoping that self driving cars will give older people autonomy for longer. We live in the arse end of nowhere and I'll never persuade DH to leave. Zero public transport.

I’d be more worried about the wandering off once they get out of the car. I think from 9-10 onwards I would consider it.

I wouldn't put myself in one let alone DC.
Not yet anyway.

You mean like a Waymo? I guess it depends on the age of the child and where they were going. If they were 11-12 or older I probably would. I don’t think Waymo allows unaccompanied minors though. I’ve used them a couple of times while in California and it’s pretty cool to have the car cruise up to you on its own and then whisk you off to your destination.

A bit off-topic but there’s also another one being tested in California that involves custom vehicles that are almost like a carriage, where you step in and sit facing each other. They look interesting and are definitely a different vibe from the Waymos, which are Jaguars.

Only from about 9 or 10 as that would be when they would start making journeys alone anyway.

No I wouldn't, I wouldn't put a 5-11 in a taxi or train on their own either.

A child of 9/10 going to their friend's house where there is another adult to meet them then probably. A 10yo to school where they need to walk from wherever the car stops maybe. Younger than that no, in the same way I wouldn't drive to school and let them walk in from where I parked.

I was also thinking about this but in the context of people with learning difficulties and disabilities. Would be great for independence

Nope. The thought of self-driving cars gives me the willies.

Anyone see Upload and what happened to Nathan? 🤢😂

I'd trust the driving more than human drivers, but wouldn't leave a young child alone at home, or to walk, so wouldn't in a car either.

I don't much like letting other parents drive my kids as so many of them are crap drivers! So driverless cars will be a positive.

Yes I would

No, because the child needs to be capable of dealing with a problem if it occurs, like a breakdown/malfunction/crash.

If you could put your child in the self drive car, then the self drive car picks up 4 other children on the way to school so every seat is full - can you imagine the school run 🏃‍♀️

id make for far less traffic on the riad

id say from 8 years old I’d be fine

If you crash the car and are incapacitated- can your child deal with that situation?

Interesting, my daughter took herself to school at 9 years old, secondary at 11 meant a walk, bus, change bus, walk to school. Now 26 so 16/17 years ago

i I couldn’t take her to school due to work commitments- there wasn’t any other choice

It’s an interesting question because one of the main barriers to parents allowing preteens to use taxis is the driver ( not necessarily their driving but that you don’t know who they are/ they might be a paedo). For primary aged dc i wouldn’t have a concern re the fact the car doesn’t have a driver but it would be more the case that they still have to be able to interact with the car to some extent ( to open the door etc) and safely drive get from the car to their final destination.

i’d let secondary age dc use them and probably at a slightly earlier age than a taxi with a driver, especially for dd.

It's statistically rare, especially on the kinds of shorter journey (e.g.school run, going to activities) that you'd start putting a child in on their own first. Minor shunts are far more likely, and they're still startling and inconvenient.

My 11yo sometimes catches the bus/ walks on his own. If he has a problem, he's in public, not isolated as he would be in a self-driving car.
When we drive, it's a good "unloading" time and there's that side-by-side conversation about his day and what's on his mind.