Self-driving cars can be developed without AI, but it would be challenging and limited in its capabilities. One approach would be to use rule-based systems, which rely on pre-defined rules and algorithms to make decisions. These rules can be based on the physics of driving, traffic laws and regulations, and knowledge of the environment. However, this approach would require a vast amount of data and computational power to process and analyze in real-time. It would also struggle to adapt to unexpected situations and would not be able to learn from new experiences.
In contrast, AI-powered self-driving cars can learn from data, adapt to new situations, and make decisions based on patterns and insights that may not be immediately apparent to humans. AI can also enable self-driving cars to improve over time through machine learning, where the system learns from its experiences and corrects its mistakes. Additionally, AI can integrate various data sources, such as sensors, GPS, and cameras, to make decisions, which would be difficult to achieve without AI. While it is possible to develop self-driving cars without AI, the capabilities and safety of the system would be severely limited.