Are human drivers a liability or an asset?

This paper investigates the relationship between near misses and human error that leads to a collision. A Smart wheelchair that can detect obstacles is used as an example. Many collisions are the fault of the driver and could be avoided if a sensor system was allowed more control of the vehicle. Some claim that eliminating a human driver from a control loop could eliminate collisions caused by human error. Others caution that human error may not disappear completely with the elimination of the driver and that new incidents may occur because of it. Analysis suggests that a human driver is attributable to many errors but that at the same time a human is vital for avoiding many accidents. The volume of near misses in this analysis is of a sufficient quantity to make some generalized conclusions about the nature of the detection and mitigation of collisions. It would strengthen the analysis if near misses from other types of driving were available. Near misses are a source of information about potential collisions as if a person is having more near misses then they may be becoming tired or distracted. Near misses were analyzed in order to examine what role on-board human drivers play in the occurrence and detection of the initial stages of a collision.