It is difficult to tell an aging loved one that they can no longer safely hold a driver’s license. There are countless articles, videos, and other resources that advise on the best way to broach the subject because, although it may be crystal clear that your loved one can no longer drive safely, nobody likes to be told that they need to stop doing something they’ve always done. To most Americans, a driver’s license is so much more than a laminated card - it is a symbol of independence, autonomy, and personal freedom.

How much easier would it be to surrender your driver’s license if you knew that you could go wherever you wanted to or needed to without one? With truly self-driving cars “the talk” about giving up driving could become something like: “Dad, we think you should start using autopilot because it doesn’t have any trouble driving on the highway and can react to pedestrians faster than you can.” Autonomous cars could allow older adults to keep their independence without sacrificing the safety of others, and could make handing over their licenses a much less radical change in their lives.

Although the technology is improving rapidly, cars that are 100% self-driving are still a dream of the future. Self driving cars are classified according to five levels: Level 3 cars can make their own decisions to adapt to environmental factors, including pedestrians, but require a driver ready to take over the controls at any time. A Level 4 car wouldn’t require a driver to keep their eyes on the road, and a Level 5 would be a car that drives itself so completely that it wouldn’t even require a steering wheel. Most commercially available autopilot systems, including Tesla’s, are at level 2, meaning that they can steer themselves and control acceleration under specific conditions in specific circumstances.

While a level 5 self-driving car is still science fiction, artificial intelligence is already improving the lives of the elderly. Despite stereotypes about older people refusing to embrace new technology, many are quite literally embracing new technology in the form of robot companions. Loneliness in elderly people is a widespread issue, an issue that was greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 30% of adults over 65 live alone, and those adults find themselves with a lot of time alone in between visits from family or caregivers. Especially for those who are effectively home-bound, loneliness can be devastating and contribute to an overall decline in health. Pet ownership has scientifically proven health benefits but, for a variety of reasons, many elderly people are not able to safely care for pets.

That’s where the robots come in. Companies like Joy For All manufacture animatronic cats and dogs that serve as companions and combat loneliness. These “pets” are not toys, they are companions that can give lonely adults a sense of friendship and purpose that is otherwise absent from their lives. The robots can bark or meow, respond to touch, react to voice commands, and can even snore when they are “sleeping.” The companion pets can improve quality of life even for someone fully aware that it’s not a real cat or dog. For many, it’s no less of a friend. If we look at these robot companions as more than toys, more than hollow or even patronizing substitutes for real animals, but as devices that can provide the health benefits of a pet without the expenses, risks, and obligations of pet ownership, we are closer to solving the loneliness problem plaguing the older adult community. The loneliness epidemic could become a thing of the past when anyone can go anywhere they want in their self-driving car while their robot dog sticks its head out the window to enjoy the breeze!

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