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雅思阅读第077套P3-Driverless cars READING PASSAGE 3Read the text below and answer Questions 27-40 Driverless carsDriverless cars may be set to become reality. At least that is, if the executives behind the taxi app, Uber, are to be believed. Currently, Uber is taking its biggest steps yet towards a driver-free world, launching the Uber Advanced Technologies Centre in Pittsburgh. The ultimate goal of this institution is to 'do research and development, primarily in the areas of mapping and vehicle safety and autonomy technology'. To date, Uber has provided a chauffeur-driven taxi service for American clients. Venturing into the realms of driverless cars is therefore a new direction which will require massive investment. It is indeed a huge leap of faith on Uber's part, since technology has yet to catch up with the idea of a fully autonomous vehicle. On the as well as stay in lane, and maintain a steady cruising seed. In a patchwork fashion such cars could eventually build up to almost full automation and Uber believes that car owners will readily embrace the idea of driverless taxis. In Uber's eyes, current car owners only stand to gain by the introduction of such technology. Hiring a driverless cab means that the client does not have to pay for the cost of the driver in the cab fee. The only cost incurred by clients is for fuel, plus wear and tear. It is certainly an attractive proposition. Uber stands to benefit, too, since employees currently working as taxi drivers will be removed from the company's payroll. Apparently for car drivers and Uber, it is a win-win situation. Not everyone will benefit however from this technology, the car industry being an obvious example. Not surprisingly, the industry views the concept of selt-driving cars with a sense of growing alarm. Such technology could well prove the death knell for private car ownership. As a result, the industry is dragging its feet over the manufacture and introduction of fully automated vehicles onto the market, due to commercial issues. The commercial aspect apart, there is also the safety issue. Whilst a fully automated car could respond to most eventualities in the course of a trip, would it be capable of responding to unforeseen events, such as changes in route or unexpected diversions? Evidently legislative authorities are also of this opinion. Currently, no matter how much automation a car has, it still requires a driver with a full licence behind the wheel to drive on public roads. Whilst robot drivers, on the whole, have the upper hand on their human counterparts safety-wise, that still does not guarantee that they will become legal. As a consortium of researchers put it, 'I self-driving cars cut the roughly 40,000 annual US traffic fatalities in half, the car makers might get not 20,000 thank-you notes, but 20,000 lawsuits.' Interestingly, Uber are now undertaking an aggressive hiring campaign for taxi drivers to meet the demand for their taxi app. It seems that even Uber is less than confident that driverless taxis will soon become a reality. Whether Uber is backing a doomed campaign or instead is about to bring in a technology that will be universally greeted with positivity and acceptance depends entirely on your viewpoint. John Reynolds, a Pittsburgh taxi driver, is angry at Uber's attitude on fully automated technology. 'They are completely disregarding individual livelihoods, such as mine, as well as those of big car manufacturers in the pursuit of money. Admittedly things change and we have to roll with the times, but there should be some safeguards in place to protect those potentially affected by the introduction of new technologies. I guess I'm biased, being a taxi driver myself, but it's difficult to see it objectively.' Susie Greenacre, a redident of Pittsburgh, has no such reservations about driverless cars. 'I'm all for it. Driverless cars have my backing, any day! I hate the stress of rush-hour traffic| I think if I could just hop in a driverless car which would take me anywhere I wanted I would never want to drive again!' Jason Steiner, a school teacher in a Pittsburgh secondary school, is inclined to agree with Susie. 'Whilst I'm not averse to driving, I would swap the stressful daily commute by car to a driverless one if I had the chance! It just takes the pressure off driving. I would be slightly wary though, of completely dependent on a robot-driven car when it comes to having to react to unexpected obstacles in the road.' SECTION 3: QUESTIONS 27-40 Questions 27-32Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. 27Which of the following statements is accurate? ADriverless cars conform to safety regulations. BThere is an obvious market for fully automated cars. CHuman drivers are no competition for driverless cars. DPotentially, fully automated taxis are more cost-effective than normal taxis. 28Uber is investing in a technology that Awill prove controversial. Bhas been tried and tested. Cis unlikely to prove cost-effective. Dwill be universally welcomed. 29What is NOT true about driverless cars? AThey have become a reality in many countries. BThey may improve road safety. CThey will reduce the cost of travelling. DThey will endanger jobs. 30What can be said about current legislation? AIt is in favour of driverless cars. BIt currently doesn't favour fully automated cars. CIt is keeping up with technology. DIt already accommodates driverless cars. 31What is the general view held by car manufacturers? ADriverless cars are more dangerous than non-automated cars. BFully automated cars are too expensive to manufacture. CThe introduction of driverless cars will threaten their livelihoods. DTechnology is still too underdeveloped to manufacture driverless cars. 32What can be said about the writer's opinion of driverless cars? AHe is not really interested, but sceptical, that such a technology will be developed. BHe reserves judgement as to whether fully automated cars will become a reality. CHe believes that such a technology will never become a reality. DHe is critical of Uber's plans to introduce fully automated cars. Questions 33-37Look at the following statements, 33-37, and the list of people. Match each statement to the correct person, A-C. You may use any letter more than once.
33 ___________I his person is willing to give up control of their vehicle because they appreciate the benefits of fully automated cars. 34 ___________This person would have no regrets about giving up driving entirely in favour of being driven by a fully automated car. 35 ___________This person is aware that the new technology of driverless cars may not provide an adequate substitute for a human driver. 36 ___________This person believes that those affected adversely by new technology should be protected from its effects. 37 ___________This person enjoys driving but only under favourable conditions. Questions 38-40Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? For questions 38-40, write
38 _________________ Driverless technology will have to overcome legal and safety obstacles to become completely viable. 39 _________________ Uber has shown nothing but complete self-conviction in its investment in driverless cars, 40 _________________ The safety issues with driverless technology are likely to be resolved fairly quickly. |
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