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GENERAL ENGLISH · PRACTICAL ENGLISH · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

SELF-
DRIVING
CARS
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1 Warm up
Match the words and pictures.

driver’s licence accident mirror steering wheel

speed limit lanes hand brake seat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

Answer the questions.

1. Do you drive?
2. How has driving changed over the last 10 years?
3. What changes to driving do you expect in the next 10 years?

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2 Reading

Read the article about self-driving cars and answer the questions.

1. How does the computer help the driver in the lowest level of self-driving cars?
2. What can the driver do in the highest level of self-driving cars?
3. Which level will be available soon?
4. What type of effect will self-driving cars have on the environment?
5. Which two types of people will find self-driving cars useful?

Work in A/B pairs. Read the article again and match the words/phrases in bold with their meanings
below. Then explain your words to your partner.

Student A:

1. things that happen because of another event

2. working quickly and without waste

3. guesses about what will happen in the future

4. new machines or computers that have been developed scientifically

Student B

1. makes a machine work (or a person behave) in a certain way

2. stop something happening

3. take the place of something so that it no longer exists

4. happen or exist because of another event

Which word in the first group is not a noun?

What type of words are all the items in the second group?

What was the most interesting or surprising information in the article?

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Who’s behind the wheel?

The future of self-driving cars

1.
Is your drive to work a waste although with a speed limit. driving cars may replace taxis;
of time? Maybe you hate Some people predict that this it will certainly be cheaper to
driving or don’t have a licence? technology won’t be available for run a taxi service if there are
The solution: self-driving cars. many years. It’s the middle levels, no drivers to pay. If self-driving
Carmakers have been talking where a person and a computer taxis become really popular, then
about these for years and have both drive the car, which we may this might result in big changes
made many predictions about see on our roads soon. in the number of people who
when the necessary computer 3.
The question we all want to ask want to own cars. The biggest
technology will be ready. is: are self-driving cars safe? winners are likely to be some
2.
There are six levels of technology Actually, they might prevent disabled people who don’t have
that can do some or all of the thousands of accidents, although a driving licence, or older people
driver’s work. At the lowest there is a danger that drivers who have lost confidence driving
levels, the driver controls the could become too confident on busy roads.
car, and the computer helps with about the technology. Self- 4.
The question isn’t IF we will see
parking or staying in a lane. driving cars will have other self-driving cars on the roads, it’s
This technology is already in use. effects. They will probably be WHEN we will see them.
At the higher levels, the driver better for the environment, as Sources: bbc.co.uk;
is free to work or sleep, and a computer drives a car more theguardian.com; vox.com
the computer is fully in control efficiently than a person. Self-

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3 Language point

We use a range of language to make predictions about the future. Study the sentences and answer
the questions.

• Carmakers have made many predictions about when the necessary computer technology
will be ready.
• Some people predict that this technology won’t be available for many years.

Answer these questions.

1. What verb form follows will/won’t?

2. When we use will/won’t, do we feel sure about our prediction?

• It’s the middle levels, where a person and a computer both drive the car, which we may
see on our roads soon.
• Actually, they might prevent thousands of accidents...
• ... there is a danger that drivers could become too confident about the technology.

Answer these questions.

1. We also use may/might/could + verb to make predictions. How is the meaning of these words
different from will?
2. Which two of these words have the same meaning in this context?
3. Which word shows that we feel there is only a small chance that something will happen?

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• They will probably be better for the environment...

• ... it will certainly be cheaper to run a taxi service if there are no drivers to pay.

Answer these questions.

1. What kind of words are in bold?

2. What other words like this could we use with will to show how sure we are about a prediction?
3. Where do the adverbs go in the sentence?

• If self-driving taxis become really popular, then this might result in big changes in the
number of people who want to own cars.

We can also use may/might/could in conditional sentences about the future, instead of will.

Answer this question.

Does this type of conditional sentence describe a real or unreal situation?

• The biggest winners are likely to be some disabled people who don’t have a driving
licence, or older people who have lost confidence driving on busy roads.

Answer these questions.

1. There are other structures that we can use to make predictions about the future. What verb form
follows are likely in this sentence?
2. Does be likely to + verb mean that we are certain or that we are guessing?
3. What is the opposite of likely?

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4 Practice

Read the first sentences. Use the word in brackets to complete the second sentences so that they
have the same meaning.

original sentence changed to

1) I’m certain that taxi drivers will lose their jobs

their jobs if
if self-driving taxis become very popular. →
self-driving taxis become very popular.
(definitely)

2) If self-driving taxis become popular, people If self-driving taxis become popular,

will probably sell their cars. . (likely)

3) In the future, people are certain to share In the future, people

control of their car with a computer. . (will)

4) People are likely to use self-driving cars

self-driving cars
instead of taxis.
instead of taxis. (may)

5) It’s possible that we will see fully self-driving

fully self-driving
cars on the roads in the next 20 years.
cars on the roads in the next 20 years. (could)

6) Self-driving cars are very unlikely to cause Self-driving cars

many accidents. . (won’t)

7) Some people aren’t sure if they will feel safe Some people
in a self-driving car. . (might)

8) Not many people think that self-driving cars

completely replace
will completely replace normal cars.
normal cars. (unlikely)

9) We think that self-driving cars might be

be popular with
popular with some disabled and older drivers.
some disabled and older drivers. (probably)

10) I think there’s a small chance of self-driving

the most important
cars being the most important technology of
technology of the century. (possibly)
the century.

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5 Speaking

Work in A/B pairs. You are going to have a discussion about the future uses of drones and self-driving
cars. Read the information in your part of the table and think of a prediction about each item. Use as
many words as you can from the list below.

A drone is a flying vehicle that someone controls from the ground.

will / won’t / might / may / could / likely / unlikely / definitely / certainly / probably / possibly

self-driving cars drones

Student A taking children to and from watching traffic / planting

school / security problems trees in forests / making maps
from other people taking of historical places
control of the car (hacking)

Student B driving tests and driving finding rare animals in the wild
licences / how action films will / delivering take-away food
show car chases / space for orders
walking in cities

Take turns to explain your ideas to your partner, giving reasons and examples. Listen and discuss the
predictions.

1. What predictions do you both feel the most certain about?

2. What predictions do you disagree about?

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6 Extra practice/homework

Put these words in order to make predictions about drones.

certainly / drones / The police / to / traffic. / use / watch / will

1.

to deliver / drones / things / to people. / use / very large / We / won’t

2.

drones. / find / If we / in the wild, we / might / need to / rare animals / use

3.

to deliver / drones / Emergency workers / may / medicine / sick people. / to / use

4.

We could / drones / in the forest. / to find / places where / to plant trees / we need / use

5.

are / be useful / Drones / likely / make maps / of historical places. / to / when we

6.

are / be / completely / Drones / from hackers. / safe / to / unlikely

7.

deliver / Drones / order / online. / probably / that we / things / will

8.

be / break down. / could / dangerous / Drones / if they / possibly / to people

9.

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7 Optional extension

There are lots of expressions in English about driving. Read the mini dialogues out loud and explain
what each expression in bold means.

Dialogue 1

A: Slow down! There’s a red light. Watch out for that white car! Don’t you need to put your turn
signal on?
B: I really don’t need a back-seat driver. I know what I’m doing.

Dialogue 2

A: That music is driving me crazy! Can you turn it down, please?

B: OK, mum. Sorry.

Dialogue 3

A: I’m selling the car for £5000.

B: Would you take £4000?
A: No, the price is £5000.
B: Wow, you really drive a hard bargain.

Dialogue 4

A: So, I told him, "I’m the one who makes the decisions about the project."
B: Yeah, you’re in the driver’s seat! What are you going to do?

Dialogue 5

A: Do you want to come with us to see a movie?

B: Yeah, but aren’t all the cinemas closed because of the pandemic?
A: Only the indoor ones. We’re going to a drive-in.
B: Sure, that sounds like fun.

1. Check your answers and talk about the meanings. Do you have similar expressions in your language?
2. Think of some examples from your own experience where you could use these expressions?

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