Self-driving cars are the future, but I prefer to take the wheel

SINGAPORE – During the Covid-19 lockdown, I recall grabbing the car key and going to the farthest corner of Singapore to da bao a single packet of economy rice, taking the most circuitous route possible.

The essential activity – to use circuit breaker parlance – was not the consumption of vegetables and curry chicken, but the joy of taking a drive.

Driving, at its best, was never just about the destination.

That memory has been on my mind lately, as the act of driving itself faces an uncertain future.

Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology is nearly here.

In the Punggol housing estate, a small fleet of robo shuttles has been running around – initially on their own and, since April 1, picking up people keen to try out the tech.

In the western part of Singapore, FairPrice Group is using AVs to shift goods between warehouses.

By the end of 2026, there will be 100 to 150 self-driving vehicles in Singapore.

But I struggle to imagine summoning an AV to cross the island for a packet of soggy, salty and oily cai png.

Now, there are solid arguments for AVs – the tech saves manpower, which is something societies increasingly lack, and may even save lives.

Machines can be safer and are more precise, more consistent and rarely distracted. So, for a passenger, or logistics operator, an AV should be an upgrade over entrusting the work to a person behind the wheel who may be stressed from work, distracted by WhatsApp messages or just a bad driver.

For drivers, having the safety net of AV-derived technology, like adaptive cruise control and automatic lane keeping, is good during the routine commutes when they are – admit it – less attentive than they should be.

Of course, there are machines that overdo it. Car reviewers often lament how the assistance systems can be too cautious or even hallucinate risks, steering the car against the driver’s will.

Another often-cited reason to champion AV technology in cars is to free the human being to do more meaningful things than sitting in traffic.

Years ago, German carmaker Audi coined the phrase “25th Hour” – referring to the additional time that its drivers will gain by being able to do things other than driving while they get to their destination, like read books, nap or file their expense claims.

There will definitely be times – like during an especially busy work day – when stealing time with a self-driving car will be helpful.

This is already available, of course. It is called a taxi. Or the MRT on a quiet afternoon, when you can sit down and bang out e-mails.

But on a Sunday morning, when the city is still asleep, consider grabbing the car key, putting on your favourite playlist, and driving to the other end of Singapore for a breakfast prata and a frothy teh tarik.