Despite their potential advantages, Africa’s unique environment does not exactly embrace the advent of self-driving cars.
By Michael Akuchie
My first encounter with self-driving cars occurred when I saw the Batmobile, the vehicle driven by DC superhero, Batman, which also doubles as a moving weapon. While it’s easy to marvel at the Batmobile’s arsenal and incredible speed, its autonomous driving features have always intrigued me, representing a forthcoming wave of automotive development.
While we may not yet be in the era of flying cars like those portrayed in The Jetsons, we have certainly arrived at a stage where cars can drive themselves. What once felt surreal and nearly impossible is gradually becoming a reality.
Autonomous vehicles utilise computer vision, a technology that enables them to identify and classify objects such as bus shelters and pedestrians, preventing collisions. They seldom require human intervention and can operate without anyone inside. In cities like Phoenix and San Francisco, you can hail a driverless taxi from Waymo, the software company. Following in the footsteps of popular ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, you simply book a ride via the Waymo mobile application, and the robotaxi arrives within minutes to take you to your destination.
Of course, there is the constant fear of being involved in a crash because a machine, rather than a human being, is behind the wheel. Even though Waymo has certified its taxis as safe, it’s natural to question whether they are genuinely reliable for widespread adoption.
Self-driving cars have generated a significant amount of hype, and this trend shows no signs of fading anytime soon. Imagine texting your partner or participating in a video call with potential investors while your car drives you around. You could even fall asleep or recline the seat to find the perfect position for watching a movie.
As mentioned, these vehicles are equipped with numerous cameras that monitor the environment and surrounding objects closely. Consequently, they can detect if a child or an adult is in front or behind the car, preventing acceleration or reversing to avoid any potential accidents.
AI-powered technologies have played a significant role in the development of autonomous vehicles, as algorithms can process vast amounts of data instantly, enabling the cars to react quickly to weather conditions, obstacles like a tree in the road, and other dynamic situations. Since such innovations are making waves in developed nations, it is worth wondering if self-driving cars have a chance of success in Africa.
Imagine taking a robo-taxi from Mushin to Terra Kulture in Lagos and enjoying a short nap before arriving at your destination. While this sounds exciting, several factors stand in the way of its adoption in the near future. Much like electric vehicles (EVs), which have struggled to populate Africa’s roads, driverless cars may face significant challenges convincing users due to the poor state of our road infrastructure.
Even human drivers sometimes struggle to navigate the numerous potholes that can damage their vehicles if caught in them. If humans can try and occasionally fail to avoid a pothole, what are the chances that a machine, lacking human reasoning, can succeed? Another major issue is the absence of signage and road markings. Just as roads without markings or signage can confuse new travellers—especially if Google Maps is unavailable due to poor internet connectivity—this issue could significantly hinder self-driving cars, as they rely on signs to track and identify their surroundings.
Reckless driving is a common cause of road accidents, and this is no different in Kenya. The East African country’s transport authority, the National Transport and Safety Authority, has reported that human error and brake failure are responsible for many accidents. A major mistake made by Kenyan drivers is freewheeling—an action intended to conserve fuel but which can easily result in a loss of control and subsequent crash.
Introducing self-driving cars on African roads will be a significant challenge, as they must contend with wildly unpredictable drivers who may obey the rules one moment and disregard them the next. Alongside the erratic road behaviour of human drivers, the tendency of traffic management officials to stop and extort drivers could lead to collisions if the vehicle in front does not signal their intention to stop.
Connectivity is another issue that could hinder the success of self-driving cars in Africa. The lack of consistent internet access across the region can adversely affect the ability of self-driving cars to determine their location and the turns they need to make. Additionally, navigating through areas with little to no GPS coverage, such as rural villages, could result in unintended crashes.
Perhaps, the most significant obstacle to the adoption of driverless cars in Africa is cost. With rising inflation diminishing people’s purchasing power, the idea of spending hundreds of millions on an autonomous vehicle feels downright impossible. Even if they were to enter the African automotive market, only the wealthy would be able to afford one. Their high price already classifies them as a luxury item, putting them out of reach for low- and middle-income households, which make up the majority of the market.
There is also the issue of public acceptance to consider. While cars may be equipped to drive us around without us lifting a finger, how many people are willing to trust that the vehicle won’t malfunction one day?
In Africa, there is a cultural preference for human drivers, as they convey a sense of security to passengers. It will be challenging for self-driving cars, with their robotic voices, to evoke that same level of comfort in human passengers unless extensive public education is conducted to dispel fears.
Despite their potential advantages, such as increased safety and convenience, Africa’s unique environment does not exactly embrace the advent of self-driving cars. From erratic drivers to poor internet connectivity, limited GPS coverage, and astronomical prices, the list of hurdles goes on. It may take years—perhaps even decades—to create an environment that supports the adoption of driverless cars on the continent.
Michael Akuchie is a tech journalist with four years of experience covering cybersecurity, AI, automotive trends, and startups. He reads human-angle stories in his spare time. He’s on X (fka Twitter) as @Michael_Akuchie & michael_akuchie on Instagram.
Cover photo credit: MIT News