Risk.

I recently took a ride in a “Waymo” in San Francisco. What’s a Waymo? Well, a Waymo is like an Uber…..but without a driver.

I was keen to see the new technology at work, particularly as it navigated the busy streets of the bay city, ever congested with cars, tourists and trams. The vehicle’s exterior is covered in sensors and inside the cabin a screen projects the outlines of vehicles and pedestrians alike. From my observations it appeared that whatever algorithm utilises the data, it does so in a conservative manner. Braking early, giving way generously and decelerating for distant threats. The journey took a little longer but it was fascinating.

I considered how the system processed the many decisions and multiple options in a timely manner and it undoubtedly had a mathematical equation for considering risk. In aviation, assessing and mitigating against risk is at the core of how we operate. While recognising that risk can never be fully eliminated, the challenge remains in reducing it to the lowest acceptable level.

For many pilots, it is a trait that carries over into everyday life. From driving a car to considering making repairs to a leaking roof, the potential threats are considered in advance and strategies are developed to keep risk as low as possible. In doing so, it is critical to maintain a state of situational awareness, not merely focussing on the obvious potential outcomes ahead but also taking into account the variables that lie to the left and right.

Assessing and mitigating risk is not designed to strangle freedom or take the fun out of life. It is about maintaining a balance that allows us to undertake tasks while maintaining a sufficient level of safety to counter the potential issues that lurk in the shadows.

As I sit in the back seat watching the Waymo’s steering wheel weave between lanes, it seems to me that the designers have given thought to the dangers but equally I realise that there are just too many to ever make the system risk free. In the meantime, I’ll sit back and consider what driverless cars mean for the concept of pilotless aircraft. However, that post needs many more words to state my case.

Stay safe.