11 reasons to be excited about the future of technology

In the year 1820, a person could expect to live less than 35 years, 94% of the global population
lived in extreme poverty, and less that 20% of the population was literate. Today, human life
expectancy is over 70 years, less that 10% of the global population lives in extreme poverty,
andover 80% of people are literate. These improvements are due mainly to advances in technology,
beginning in the industrial age and continuing today in the information age.
There are many exciting new technologies that will continue to transform the world and improve
human welfare. Here is one of them.
1. Self-Driving Cars
Self-driving cars exist today that are safer than human-driven cars in
most driving conditions. Over the next 3–5 years they‘ll get even
safer, and will begin to go mainstream.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.25 million people
die from car-related injuries per year. Half of the deaths are pedestrians, bicyclists, and
motorcyclists hit by cars. Cars are the leading cause of death for people ages 15–29 years old.
Just as cars reshaped the world in the 20th century, so will self-driving cars in the 21st century. In
most cities, between 20–30% of usable space is taken up by parking spaces, and most cars are
parked about 95% of the time. Self-driving cars will be in almost continuous use (most likely hailed
from a smartphone app), thereby dramatically reducing the need for parking. Cars will
communicate with one another to avoid accidents and traffic jams, and riders will be able to spend
commuting time on other activities like work, education, and socializing.