People suck at driving. Even a shitty self-driving car will save a ton of lives simply by obeying traffic laws.
First, they're not anywhere near 100% reliable. They can fail on their own, and they'll also intentionally shut themselves off if the instruments they rely on fail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_447
Second, an autopilot failure shouldn't lead to death if the pilots are competent and paying attention.
A failed autopilot could look like all sorts of things, from just automatically disconnecting itself (usually with a loud warning alert) to issuing incorrect instructions (which is why the pilots are supposed to be awake and alert while it's engaged, watching the instruments).
Actually it is much more simpler than a self-driving car. And if there is a problem it disengages.
A single driver's ability isn't the only risk factor... if I'm a great driver but every one else sucks (that's how it for everyone already, right :D ), then an overall increase in the population's driving ability helps me, right?
If great drivers like to drive themselves. Others wants too because they do not trust these great drivers.
In everyone driver's eyes, there are only two kinds of drivers 1 ) bad driver slower than me. 2 ) mad driver faster than me.
The point here is, no matter how good the driving environment goes, I do not want to lost any chance to survive(If I'm a good driver).
