Driverless Cars – IELTS Reading Answer

The ‘Driverless Cars’ Academic Reading Practice Test is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for the IELTS Reading test. The passages in the test are similar in difficulty to the passages that you will encounter on the actual IELTS Reading test. 

By taking the ‘Driverless Cars’ IELTS Reading Answer practice test, you can get a feel for the types of questions that you will be asked and the level of difficulty that you can expect.

The question types in this Reading Passage include:

• Matching Information
• True False Not Given
• Summary Completion

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Reading Passage

A The automotive industry is very used to adapting to automating manufacturing. From the 1970s the implementation of robotic car manufacture brought significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of mass production of vehicles. There is a new challenge to vehicle production on the horizon again and it comes from automation. But, this time it has nothing to do with the process of manufacturing, but with the vehicles themselves.

B Vehicle automation research is not new. For more than 50 years, vehicles with limited self-driving capabilities have been around, which contributed significantly towards driver assistance systems. Progress in this field has quickly gathered pace since Google announced that it had been trialing self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010.

C Technology is advancing so fast for many reasons. The biggest reason is safety. UK’s Transport Research Laboratory’s Research has shown that more than 90% of road collisions occur due to human error, and it is the biggest cause of road accidents. Automating driving may help to reduce the occurrence of this.

D Another reason is to reduce the time people spend driving and make use of it for other purposes. It may be possible to socialize, be productive or relax if the vehicle can do some or all of the driving, while automation systems have all the responsibility for your safety. Those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving.

E We can look at the wider implications for transport and society apart from these direct benefits, and how manufacturing processes might need to change as a result. At present, the average car spends its life parked for more than 90% of its life. Initiatives for car-sharing become more possible through automation, especially in cities with more demand for vehicles. Mobility demand can be met by far fewer vehicles if a significant proportion of the population chooses to use shared automated vehicles.

F The Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigated automated mobility in Singapore and found that less than 30% of the vehicles used presently would be needed if automated car-sharing could be fully implemented. In that case, it can mean that we may need to produce far lesser vehicles to meet the demand. The number of trips being taken may increase because empty vehicles would have to be moved from one customer to the next.

G Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%, but as a result, the average annual mileage of vehicles doubles. As a result, the vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner. Due to this fast turnover vehicle production may not necessarily decrease.

H Automation may bring some other modifications in the manufacture of vehicles. If we move to a model where consumers don’t own any vehicles but will get access to different vehicles through a mobility provider, drivers will choose to select the vehicle that best suits their needs for a particular journey, rather than compromising on all their requirements.

I Since, most of the seats in most cars are unoccupied most of the time, it can increase the development of smaller and more efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals. For going on exceptional journeys like a family trip or to help children move to a university specialized vehicles may be made available.

J We should overcome many obstacles before delivering automated vehicles to our roads. These include the technical difficulties in making sure that the vehicle is reliable in traffic, different climates, and multiple road situations it might experience; the regulatory challenges in understanding how liability and enforcement might need to change when drivers are not needed; and the societal changes that is to be brought in communities to accept and trust automated vehicles as being a valuable part of the mobility landscape.

K There is no doubt that many challenges need to be taken care of but, through targeted and robust research, these problems can be solved in the next 10 years. In the coming years, mobility will change in many ways and will be associated with so many other technological developments, such as telepresence and virtual reality, which is difficult to make proper predictions. However, one thing is clear: change is for sure, and the flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.

1Google announced that it had been trialling self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010.

2University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%.

3Automation can increase the development of smaller and efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals.

4Those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving.

5Vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner resulting in fast turnover the vehicle production may not necessarily decrease.

6Safety is the biggest reason for driverless car technology advancement.

7The average car spends its life parked for more than 90% of its life.

8Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might increase ownership of vehicles.

9The flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.

From the 1970s the implementation of 10_______ manufacture brought significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of mass production of vehicles. For more than 50 years, vehicles with limited 11________ capabilities have been around, which contributed significantly towards driver assistance systems. More than 90% of road collisions occur due to human error, and it is the biggest cause of 12________. Automating driving may help to reduce the occurrence of this. One thing is clear: change is for sure, and the 13______ to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility. There is no doubt that many challenges need to be taken care of but, through targeted and 14________, these problems can be solved in the next 10 years.

Driverless Cars Reading Answers with Explanation

1Answer: B
Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3 – line 4

Answer explanation: The selected lines say that “Progress in this field has quickly gathered pace since Google announced that it had been trialing self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010.” This tells us that Google announced that it had been trialing self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010 and making important progress. Hence the answer is B.

2Answer: G
Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 1 – line 3

Answer explanation: In the mentioned lines of the paragraph, it is said that “Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%, but as a result the average annual mileage of vehicles doubles.” This proves that the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43% and double the average annual mileage. Hence the answer is G.

3 Answer: I
Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph I, line 1 – line 2

Answer explanation: The lines in this paragraph says that “…it can increase the development of smaller and efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals.” These sentences point out that automation can increase the development of smaller and efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals. Hence the answer is I.

4 Answer: D
Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3 – line 4

Answer explanation: In the specified line, it is stated that “…while automation systems have all the responsibility for your safety. Those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving.” These sentences point out that with the advent of automation, those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving. Hence the answer is D.

5 Answer: G
Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 3- line 5

Answer explanation: The mentioned lines from Paragraph G says that “As a result, the vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner. Due to this fast turnover the vehicle production may not necessarily decrease.” These lines make it clear that vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner resulting in fast turnover the vehicle production may not necessarily decrease. Hence the answer is G.

6 Answer: True
Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 1

Answer explanation: The introductory line of Paragraph C says that “Technology is advancing so fast due to many reasons. The biggest reason is safety.” As the statement agrees with the information that safety is the biggest reason for driverless car technology advancement, the answer is True.

7 Answer: True
Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 3

Answer explanation: The specified lines state that “At present, the average car spends its life parked for more than 90% of its life.” So, it is clear that the statement agrees with the information. Hence the answer is True.

8 Answer: False
Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 1 – line 3

Answer explanation: The lines from Paragraph G says that “Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%, but as a result the average annual mileage of vehicles doubles.” Since the statement contradicts the information by stating that the ownership of vehicles will increase due to automated vehicles, the answer is False.

9 Answer: True
Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph K, line 5 – line 7

Answer explanation: The mentioned lines states “…the flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.” As the statement agrees with the information in the passage, the answer is True.

10 Answer: robotic car
Question type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 1 – line 3.

Answer explanation: The provided lines say that “From the 1970s the implementation of robotic car manufacture brought significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of mass production of vehicles.” As the statement and the information given are the same and the only missing word is robotic car, the answer is ‘robotic car’.

11 Answer: self-driving
Question type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 1 – line 3

Answer explanation: The given lines say that “For more than 50 years, vehicles with limited self-driving capabilities have been around, which contributed significantly towards driver assistance systems.” As the statement and the information given are the same and the only missing word is self-driving, the answer is ‘self-driving’.

12 Answer: road accidents
Question type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2 – line 3

Answer explanation: The mentioned lines say that “…more than 90% of road collisions occur due to human error, and it is the biggest cause of road accidents.” As the statement and the information given are the same and the only missing word is road accidents, the answer is ‘road accidents’.

13 Answer: flexibility
Question type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph K, line 5 – line 7

Answer explanation: The provided lines say that “However, one thing is clear: change is for sure, and the flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.” As the statement and the information given are the same and the only missing word is flexibility, the answer is ‘flexibility’.

14 Answer: robust research
Question type: Summary Completion

Answer location: Paragraph K, line 1 – line 2

Answer explanation: The given lines say that “There is no doubt that many challenges need to be taken care of but, through targeted and robust research, these problems can be solved in the next 10 years.” As the statement and the information given are the same and the only missing word is robust research, the answer is ‘robust research’.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in Driverless Cars Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the tips for each question type. It’ll help you understand how to approach the problem.

Matching Information

This question type requires test-takers to match specific information from the passage to the correct paragraph or section. Candidates need to locate where particular information is mentioned in the text. The task typically involves matching a list of information points to labeled paragraphs or sections of the passage. This question type always has more information points than paragraphs to match them to.

True/False/Not given

In these types of questions, you have to write the best response as per the passage’s content in terms of true/false/not given. If you feel the question/sentence is correct with respect to the passage, write ‘True’ and if you think it is not valid, write ‘False’. However, if you feel the reference is nowhere to be mentioned, write ‘Not Given’.

Summary Completion

This task involves completing a summary of the passage by filling in gaps with words from the text. Test-takers need to choose words from a given list or directly from the passage to complete the summary. The summary usually covers the main ideas or key points of the entire passage or a specific section. This question type always provides a word bank with more options than needed to fill the gaps. Candidates are allowed to use their own words to complete the summary instead of using words from the passage.

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