PASSAGE 1: The Next Big Thing

Question

By Tess Wallace
It's become a rite of passage in the United States. Somewhere around the age of sixteen, teenagers often get their driver's license and move one step closer to adulthood. Thanks to the invention of the automobile this phenomenon has been commonplace for the last century. Teens get licensed and often find new freedom and independence from their parents, but this may all change soon. Drivers may not need licenses because we may be living in a world of cars controlled by supercomputers.
Experts argue that this will change society for the better and be an especially positive move forward in the world of transportation and teens.
Driverless cars, also known as Automated
Vehicles (AV), are on the cusp of taking over our roadways.
Several companies are developing these high-tech
vehicles. They claim they will solve the problems associated with teen drivers. These lofty assertions have led to one big question:
How safe are driverless cars?
There are obvious safety advantages to a supercomputer controlling a vehicle rather than a teenager. To begin with, computers don't consume alcohol. More than half of the injuries and deaths of teens due to auto accidents were alcohol related.
Proponents of the driverless car note that drunk driving could quickly become a non-issue. Sober computers could save countless lives.
Another large contributor to teen deaths in car accidents is due to a failure to wear seatbelts. Nearly half of the teens between the ages of 16-19 that were killed in crashes in 2018 were unrestrained. With driverless cars, passengers may be required to buckle up while the car is in operation. This could encourage seat belt use among teens.
Human error is the primary cause of motor vehicle accidents.
The fact that human driving errors are a leading cause of crashes is precisely why developers of the AV believe that driverless cars have the potential to be safer. They argue that computers don't make errors. Technology is consistent and reliable when programmed to complete tasks. They believe that the challenge is in programming automated vehicles to know how to respond to every possible situation it may face. Developers claim this is possible.
The data is indisputable-teenage drivers are involved in and die more often in automobile accidents than drivers in any other age group. Yet, it is also clear that while supercomputers may have the potential to be safer drivers than humans, automated vehicles are not safer yet. According to Maria Martin in her article, 29 Must-Know Self-Driving Statistics, published in February of 2021, " ...self-driving cars have a higher rate of accidents compared to human-driven cars, but the injuries are less serious. On average, there are 9.1 self-driving car accidents per million miles driven, while the same rate is 4.1 crashes per million miles for regular vehicles."
It is crucial
that driverless technology
AUTONOMOUS CAR
continue to be developed and studied.
The National
Highway
Traffic Safety
Administration
(NHTSA), the
government entity responsible for highway
safety, is committed to that cause. They are actively studying this issue and working alongside the creators of automated vehicles to ensure public safety. They are determined to answer the question, "Who is a safer driver? Humans or computers?" Until then..teens, keep practicing for your driving test!

PASSAGE 2: 18-Wheeler: The Forecast
By Eddie Jones
Driverless trucks and AV (Automated Vehicles) are controlled by an Al (Artificial Intelligence) supercomputer. This computer takes in outside stimulus from sensors, cameras, and tech devices strapped to the outside of the truck and processes all the information at a rate that is fifteen times faster than the average human. They have their own Wi-Fi system within the truck so that they are not at risk of losing a signal and compromising their entire system. With features like these, it's easy to wonder if the robots really are taking over and why we may or may not want them to do so.
It may surprise you to hear the primary motivators for corporations to use automated trucks rather than those operated by real humans— companies are pushing for more reliable technology in automated trucks so that they can convert to driverless fleets. Why do they want driverless fleets? There are three main reasons-cost, efficiency, and safety. The Reason Driverless Trucks Are in the Fast Lane of Development
The average cost for the driverless technology on these big rigs is $250,000. At first glance, a quarter of a million dollars for a vehicle sounds outrageous. Surprisingly though, it pales in comparison to the cost of hiring and paying a driver for several years. When the annual salary and benefit packages are combined, the cost of the driverless technology pays for itself in less than five years. In addition, a driverless truck doesn't have the limits a human does. There is no need to stop for food or sleep, and a truck doesn't need sick days or vacation days. Therefore, an automated truck can transport cargo twice as fast and complete three times more driving in a week than a truck operated by a human. An added bonus is that these automated trucks are not only time efficient, but they are also fuel efficient by keeping a steady speed and driving straighter. In contrast, a human driver can be a gas guzzler with even minor inconsistencies in braking and steering. All of these efficiencies affect a company's profit margin and save businesses money by giving them quicker services for less cost.
Last, experts believe that the technology of driverless trucks has the potential to save human lives. You might wonder, "How can a computer possibly be safer than a human?" The answer lies not in what a computer can do, but rather in what humans do. Humans make mistakes. Sadly, in the world of trucking, those errors often result in fatalities. Unlike human drivers, computers don't drive drunk or text while driving, they don't fall asleep or get distracted, and they have consistent and reliable responses to stimuli. Humans do not.
Over half a million auto accidents each year—or one in every eight automobile accidents-involve a semi-truck. The creators working on driverless technology believe that they will soon be able to offer a product with much better safety statistics. It seems that they are definitely moving in that direction, and it won't be a matter of if we see a truck cruising along side us missing a driver, but just a matter of when we will see an empty cab.


WRITING TASK
Automated Vehicles (AVs) are becoming more common. Technology plays a large part in driverless vehicles.
Think about the ideas in the two passages, and then write an explanatory essay in your own words about the effects technology is having on driving.
Be sure to use information from BOTH texts in your explanatory essay. Write your answer in the space provided.
Before you write, be sure to:
* think about ideas, facts, definitions, details, and other information and examples you want to use;
* think about how you will introduce your topic and what the main topic will be for each paragraph;
* develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the source texts;
* be sure to identify the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly from the sources.
Now write your explanatory essay in the space provided. Be sure to:
* use information from the two texts so that your essay includes important details;
* introduce the topic clearly, provide a focus, and organize information in a way that makes sense;
* develop the topic with facts, definitions, details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic;
* use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion;
* clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts;
* use clear language and vocabulary to inform about the topic;
* provide a conclusion that follows the information presented; and
* check your work for correct grammar, usage, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.
10,000 word limit, please make it seem like a 9th grader wrote it.

Answer 1

The Effects of Technology on Driving: A Look at Automated Vehicles

In recent years, technology has profoundly influenced various aspects of daily life, and driving is no exception. With the introduction of Automated Vehicles (AVs), commonly referred to as driverless cars and trucks, the landscape of transportation is evolving quickly. Technologies enabling these vehicles promise many advantages, including safety, efficiency, and reduced costs, but they also raise significant questions about their readiness and reliability.

One of the primary benefits of AVs, highlighted in Tess Wallace’s article "The Next Big Thing," is safety. Teenage drivers, for example, are frequently involved in accidents, primarily due to human error—many stemming from distractions and alcohol consumption. The computer systems controlling driverless cars do not succumb to these issues. As noted in the passage, “computers don’t consume alcohol,” and they also maintain consistent attention to the road. This reliability could lead to a significant reduction in accidents caused by reckless driving. Moreover, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is actively studying these technologies to ensure public safety, emphasizing the need for proper development before fully replacing human drivers.

Similarly, Eddie Jones’s passage, "18-Wheeler: The Forecast," stresses the potential of driverless trucks to enhance safety. Jones points out that humans make many driving mistakes—resulting in countless accidents each year, particularly involving large semi-trucks. With driverless technology, these vehicles can operate without the distractions that lead to human error, such as texting or falling asleep at the wheel. The automated system processes external information much faster than a human can, which could translate to safer roads.

In addition to safety, efficiency is another major advantage of AV technology in both passenger vehicles and trucks. Jones mentions that driverless trucks can operate without the need for breaks for food, rest, or personal matters, allowing them to complete transport tasks much quicker. The trucks can drive for long hours without interruption, increasing delivery speed and optimizing logistics for companies. This efficiency can significantly boost a company’s profit margins while ensuring that customers receive their products in a timely manner.

Wallace also notes the importance of technology in promoting safer driving habits among passengers, specifically teens. With driverless cars, there is the potential for enhanced safety features, such as automatic seat belt reminders. These technologies could encourage safer choices among younger passengers, further reducing the risk of accidents.

However, despite the many potential benefits of AVs, there remain crucial challenges to overcome before they can fully replace human drivers. Both passages convey that while driverless technology is advancing, it is not infallible. As stated by Wallace, “automated vehicles are not safer yet” than human-driven cars, and the statistics show that self-driving cars have a higher accident rate than traditional vehicles. With 9.1 accidents per million miles driven for AVs compared to 4.1 for human-driven cars, it is evident that significant improvements are needed in the technology before it can claim to outperform human drivers in safety.

In conclusion, technology is having a multifaceted impact on driving through the development of Automated Vehicles. The potential safety advantages, highlighted in both articles, could lead to fewer accidents and improved road conditions, particularly for vulnerable groups like teenage drivers. Furthermore, the efficiency of driverless trucks promises to revolutionize the logistics industry by enhancing delivery times and reducing costs. However, the current limitations of this technology and its tendency to result in higher accident rates compared to traditional vehicles show that there is still a long way to go before AVs can be deemed a complete substitute for human drivers. As technology continues to advance, it is crucial that developers address these issues to ensure the safety and reliability of Automated Vehicles.