Guest commentary: Autonomous vehicle tech is hard, but it's here to stay

First, given what a sea change fully autonomous vehicles are to the way we've been driving for 100 years, there's a threshold question about safety. AVs have a remarkably strong safety record. It's the top priority of every AV CEO I've ever met or worked with. The occasional software glitch or fender bender does deserve scrutiny, but such incidents receive lopsided attention and ought to be weighed against the tens of thousands of traffic deaths on U.S. roads each year caused by drunk, distracted or reckless humans. Second, critics say after all the hype and money spent, AVs aren't even on public roads or capable of serving passengers and businesses.