{"id":31989,"date":"2022-10-19T04:25:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T20:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carsome.my\/news\/item\/electric-self-driving-car"},"modified":"2023-05-03T16:46:49","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T08:46:49","slug":"electric-self-driving-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carsome.my\/news\/item\/electric-self-driving-car","title":{"rendered":"Will Electric Self-Driving Cars Be Feasible in Malaysia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Electric Vehicles<\/span><\/a> (EVs) are beginning to flood the Asian market. Every weekend, there seems to be a brand new EV released either from China or in Malaysia. The current state of the automotive industry has been drastically shifting itself to a camaraderie of an electrical lineup. As of January 2022, <\/span>Paultan.org reports<\/span><\/a> that only 274 EVs have been sold in Malaysia despite having tax incentives and exemptions offered by the government which you can <\/span>read more about here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

One current feature pioneered by EVs in all of their cars is the <\/span>self-driving feature<\/span><\/a>. For the uninitiated, Self-Driving or Autopilot, similar to the ones used in big airplanes, is software installed to autonomously assist the driver in getting from Point A to B based on the location provided. This feature was first pioneered by Tesla in their models and sequentially, other manufacturers like Kia, Mercedes, and Volvo started following suit too. EVs and Electric Self-Driving Cars are soon going to be the norm. However, is Malaysia really prepared to embrace EVs yet? Let\u2019s take a look at this one incident that happened in the country a while back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Setting the Stage for Electric Self-Driving Cars<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"SettingEarlier in March this year when the Malaysia\/Singapore Border recently opened up, a couple from Singapore recorded their entire road trip from <\/span>Singapore all the way to Penang<\/span><\/a>, with their Tesla on Autopilot. The dealbreaker for this whole event is the driver did not have their hands on the steering wheel as depicted in the photo. This was not the first isolated case around the world. Electric Self-Driving Cars have been making waves due to people abusing the feature be it for <\/span>convenience<\/span><\/a>, or for <\/span>nefarious purposes<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although we do not have laws to regulate Electric Self-Driving Cars, the couple was still under investigation by the police as quoted by Bukit Aman Chief Assistant Director of Traffic Investigations and Enforcement (JSPT) Superintendent Dr. Bakri Zainal Abidin according to <\/span>Guangming Daily. <\/span><\/a>\u00a0He further stressed that the Land Traffic Act 1959 insists that drivers must drive well, be careful and concentrate. Thus, a driver must be of sound mind, while having their hands on the steering wheel for the whole journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While there are no laws that govern autonomous driving, Superintendent Dr. Bakri Zainal told the reporters at Guangming Daily that hands-free driving can make the driver and occupants completely oblivious to their surroundings. Furthermore, he added that Tesla\u2019s Autopilot system is not completely foolproof. He also quoted an incident where a couple from California was killed in a car crash when the autopilot system failed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Electric Self Driving Cars still remain <\/span>a novelty<\/span><\/a> among Malaysian drivers due to their relatively new introduction onto Malaysian roads. However, a new debate arises on electric self-driving cars, how well would they fare on our roads? First off, let’s start by discussing the driving habits most Malaysian drivers exhibit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Malaysian Driving Habits Make it Difficult to Adopt Self-Driving Cars<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"MalaysianIf there\u2019s one thing Malaysia is famous for, it’s our driving habits. Time and time again, Malaysia has been ranked globally by firms and research institutions as one of the top 10 most dangerous countries to drive in. I mean, have you driven in Klang or Penang before?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Malaysia ranks as the eighth most dangerous country to drive in, according to a study conducted by driver\u2019s education firm Zutobi.<\/p>\n

The study, which analysed 52 countries, gave Malaysia an overall safety score of only 5.63 out of 10. https:\/\/t.co\/GregaEQuze<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/m6aE6Fsnlz<\/a><\/p>\n

— BFM News (@NewsBFM) May 14, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n