Self driving vehicles are going to have entirely different problems than human drivers

We will have to get used to a whole new series of crazy experiences. For example, humans have certain frailties and computer sensors and technology have entirely different frailties. For example, if an external sensor is blinded by mud or rain or snow for any reason (or dust) it cannot work properly. So, it cannot (sense or see) things properly. So, if this is not compensated in some way, humans, animals, trees or cars will be hit over time because of this. Also, if a sensor fails in some way because of software or electrical short or dust or whatever, then you are going to have problems of various sorts too.

We are entering a brave new world where technology might work perfectly at first and then start to break down over time as elements fail. With a human driver when elements fail it is more easily addressed. But, if no one sees or understands what is happening then often this will cause more and more fatalities over time. And I think you will tend to see the most deaths over time in 3rd world countries where life isn't valued as much as it is here or in Europe. Though there will be deaths in 1st and 2nd world countries it likely will be more quickly addressed as relatives of the dead complain.

One example I would like to give is this:

Anywhere in the U.S. where you see a stop sign or a signal of any kind it is there because a certain amount of people died there before a stop sign or a signal light was placed there. You can likely go back in newspapers over time to any stop sign or signal and trace the average amount of people that died or were maimed there before the stop sign or signal was placed there.

Exactly the same thing will tend to be true for self driving vehicles over time. So, unless companies sweep this information under the rug by legal means, self driving vehicles will tend to get safer and safer over time.

However, until electric vehicles motors and generators are shielded from passengers you are going to have the same problem we have now with unshielded generators and electric motors in electric or hybrid vehicles now where over time people will get various health problems or cancers from riding in or driving these vehicles over 20 to 30 years time, especially those who are children now.

Because over time large electrical coronas and electrical fields damage human genetics just like when people live under large voltage power lines over time this makes people or animals sick.