The Future is Autonomous: The U.S. and China Race to Develop the Driverless Car

by Phillip Wilcox

Who will win the race to develop the autonomous vehicle? Making predictions about technology, particularly technology as revolutionary as the autonomous vehicle, can be challenging. The Future is The U.S. and China Race to Develop the Driverless Car explores a number of key factors that will decide who will emerge victorious. In this book you will learn The major technological difficulties that must be overcome for a self-driving car to drive safely.* The innovative companies that are creating new business models to commercialize autonomous vehicles.* The political hurdles that both the U.S. and China must face to establish a common set of standards for autonomous vehicles both domestically and globally.* And so much more!This book is a must read for anyone interested in the future of the automotive industry, cutting-edge technology, and keen political analysis. There is little doubt that whoever wins the race to develop the autonomous vehicle will have substantial influence in the industry for decades. No matter which superpower comes out on top, the biggest winner of all will be the consumer.

288 pages, Paperback

Published December 7, 2020

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This timely and accessible book provides a terrific primer on the promise offered by the emerging technology of autonomous vehicles, the nuts and bolts of how the technology works in its various iterations, who the key players are in both the US and China, and how both countries’ efforts to seize the initiative in being the first to develop an autonomous vehicles ecosystem fits into the broader landscape of great-power competition between the two countries and systems.

In particular, Wilcox does an excellent job of making the nuances of this technology accessible for a lay reader without much familiarity with technical jargon. I also appreciated how he tied his discussion of the key players in the emerging AV industry in the US and China to the biographies of the key individuals involved to show how in many instances these companies’ values and approaches are a reflection of the lived experiences of their leaders.

Overall, it’s a relatively brisk read but I emerged from it having learned a lot about the opportunities offered by this exciting new technology and the challenges we face in building the infrastructure to achieve that promise.

[Judi Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regardless of my knowing Phillip Wilcox as a fraternity brother of my son and having followed Phillip's progress with this book, my review is in fact, not biased. I understood Phillip's interest in this topic given my knowledge of his recovery and subsequent visual impairment. What I was not prepared for, was how readable and engaging this topic would be for a 74 year old woman who learned to drive with a stick shift VW. The amount of research, as indicated by the footnotes and wide-ranging input from others in this field, shows how carefully, Phillip Wilcox was in his preparation and documentation. But the writing, though detailed, is informative without being bogged down with terms only a techie or engineer might understand. There was no need to Google a term or re-read a paragraph, hoping for a better understanding. I would guess that under the current administration and the new Transportation Secretary Buttigieg ( whose presidential campaign platform actually included autonomous vehicles) the US might become better placed in this race with China. Well done, Phillip and cannot wait to see the evolution of these vehicles. You have most definitely piqued my interest.

[Philip J. Tarnoff Tarnoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autonomous Vehicles in Detail

First full disclosure- I have had some association with the autonomous and connected vehicle world for the past twenty years. I thought the book contains an amazing amount of detail and reflects considerable research by the author. A truly impressive discussion of the industry.

I have a few issues with the content; none of which reduce the value of the work. First I wish more time had been spent on the many technical obstacles that remain: data security, software reliability, human factors, etc. second, the author presents a somewhat biased view of autonomous vehicles’ impact on congestion. He only cites articles stating that congestion will be reduced and ignores other papers saying it will be made worse. It is likely that the former are describing freeway congestion while the latter are talking about surface streets. Third and least important, the term “stoplights is used throughout the text, when they are properly known as traffic signals. Other items that should be mentioned include the inability of local agencies to make infrastructure improvements (pavement markings and traffic signals) to support autonomous vehicle operations.

[Doug Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The autonomous car has a tremendous potential to save us all time on commutes, to enable the community of persons with disabilities and their autonomy, and to decrease fatalities from auto accidents (including drastically reducing drunk driving). So why are people afraid of self-driving cars? And why is the US, with its long history in both auto production and in technological advancements, poised to lose this race to China? Phil Wilcox has written a fantastic piece of research on this topic. It’s well documented but eminently readable.

[Hai-Vu Phan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Very informative, especially by shedding light on China's progress, which is not well understood in the U.S. The author, who himself cannot drive a car due to his poor eyesight, interweaves well his story and the promise that autonomous vehicles can provide for others who currently cannot drive themselves. Highly recommend to those interested in learning more about this emerging -- and soon to be prevalent -- technology.

[Zach K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer on the autonomous vehicle market, its history and its future, explained in an engaging and easy to understand way. Mr. Wilcox covers complex technical research, a rapidly evolving market landscape and geopolitics with ease. Highly recommend for the techie or politics nerd in your life

[Roveena Jassal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The autonomous car was a wonderful development in society and Philip does a great job of explaining its origin story! I loved reading about the real tension, motivations, and competitive spirit for the automobile industries in US and China.