"There are also reasons to believe that automated cars would drive more slowly. For one thing, they would likely be programmed to stay within the speed limits that human drivers routinely flout. But computer-controlled vehicles may also “choose” to drive even more slowly than the law allows in certain situations, says Bryant Walker Smith, an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina and an affiliate scholar with the Center for Internet and Society. Including when the weather is poor or to ensure there’s adequate time to stop for pedestrians and crosswalks.
“Automated driving will reveal that motor vehicles travel far too quickly in urban areas,” he says. “I'd expect automated vehicles to settle on much lower speeds as a function of safe operation.”"