Nora Brennan, '26
Technological advancements these days are getting more revolutionary and complicated. Billion-dollar companies are investing an unspeakable amount of money into these advancements in the hope of creating the most awe inspiring one to the public. While there are many examples of recent products, some of the most notable ones are Apple’s Vision Pros and self-driving cars.
Over 250 car manufacturers are attempting to produce self-driving cars today. However, self-driving cars are a controversial topic. Some people refuse to ever get in one of those cars because of their lack of trust in the technology, while others are excited about the freedom and opportunities these cars present. A supporter would argue that these cars provide an opportunity for less traffic and more convenience in a person's life. The features that allow for this are the sensors that monitor the position of nearby vehicles and video cameras that detect traffic lights, read road signs, track other vehicles, and look for pedestrians while creating a map of their surroundings. Sophisticated software takes all this information into account to give the car instructions, according to hard coded rules. This is where people have doubts about how the car can reliably keep pedestrians and other motorists safe, in addition to fear about technology malfunctions. These concerns are just some of many that contribute to 69% of people feeling negatively towards self-driving cars. However, fully autonomous cars will realistically not be available before 2035, providing time for those who don’t want these cars on the road and for companies to increase the safety of these vehicles.
Apple’s new Vision Pros are also a hot topic now. While at first glance, these goggles appear like any other VR headset, they, in fact, have many features that make them stand out. Instead of using virtual reality, they actually implement something called augmented reality. Augmented reality means the real world around you has been enchanted through the computer. Your vision is entirely blocked by the goggles, but cameras filter in everything from the world around you, making it seem like you can see through the goggles while using apps that Apple provides. Apple also added the feature of eyesight or “passthrough eyes” that allows others to see the wearer's eyes through the headset. The Vision Pros also have no hand controllers that many other VR goggles have, and instead use hand tracking. One feature listed on Apple’s website says that the goggles allow you to take 3-D photos and videos of the world around you and relive them again in the future. While these are all amazing features, many people won’t easily have access to these. The price is listed at $3,499, which many cannot afford to buy, limiting the market quite a bit. Maybe sometime in the future, these goggles will be cheaper and more available, but as of right now, only a handful can experience this new technology Apple is offering.
These new technologies are game changers once they enter into people’s lives. Even with all the amazing things each one can perform, there are also always critics of the technology. And while both of these products won’t impact many people here and now, they aren’t going anywhere. One has to wonder what our future will look like over the next decade or so. Will these items become commonplace, and if so, what will come next?
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