@seachanger although the demand is low for personal autonomous vehicles, we are learning a great deal about automotive and vehicular safety by developing the technology behind the scenes. We have better sensor tech now, like thermal imaging, that can see pedestrians at night and could engage the brakes to prevent hitting them. That tech can be implemented into any vehicle.
Even if full autonomous cars never hit the road, the key leanings have been valuable for us who work in the field.