Driverless cars could change everything

[DaFace]

Thought this article was cool to think about.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-28376929

Driverless cars could change everything


For now, it seems like a novelty - cars that can operate independently of human control, safely cruising down streets thanks to an array of sensors and pinpoint GPS navigation.

But if the technology avoids getting crushed by government regulators and product liability lawsuits, writes the Federalist's Dan McLaughlin, it could prompt a cultural shift similar to the early 20th century move away from horses as the primary means of transportation.

First and foremost, he writes, the spread of driverless cars will likely greatly reduce the number of traffic accidents - which currently cost Americans $871b (£510b) a year.

"A truly driverless road would not be accident-free, given the number of accidents that would still be caused by mechanical and computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and sheer random chance," he says. "But it would make the now-routine loss of life and limb on the roads far rarer."

Computer-operated cars would eventually reshape car design, he says, as things like windshields - "a large and vulnerable piece of glass" - become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they'd like in their cars, which could make car interiors more like mobile lounges than like cockpits.

The age required to operate a driverless car is likely to drop, he says. There could be an impact on the legal drinking age, as well, as preventing drunk driving was one of the prime justifications for the US-wide setting minimum age to purchase alcohol at 21 years old.

There's other possible economic fallout, McLaughlin contends, such as a restructuring of the auto insurance industry, the obsolescence of taxi drivers and lower ratings for drive-time radio programmes.

The high-tech security state will also get boost, he writes, as GPS-tagged cars will be easier to track, making life difficult for fugitives and car thieves. Police will also be able to move resources away from operations like traffic enforcement.

Of course, he writes, the towns that rely on speed traps to fund their government services will be facing budget shortfalls. Privacy advocates could also get an unexpected boost, he notes, since traffic stops are one of the main justifications for police vehicle searches.

Finally, there's the prospect of the as-yet-unrealised futurist dream of flying cars. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, McLaughlin says, "the potential for three-dimensional roads becomes a lot less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge".

Where we're going, we may not need roads after all.

[Rain Man]

For most of my life, I think a bigger issue than self-driving may be not owning a car. Self-driving only really would affect me on longer road trips since I'd probably be actively monitoring in my normal urban driving.

But if we found ourselves in a world where a bunch of driverless cars prowl around and I order them up on an as-needed basis, then I won't own a car. And if I don't own a car, I have an empty garage, and I'm either renting it out to an old-school car owner or more likely I'm converting it into an ADU and making notable rental income.

I think this trend is happening at a perfect time for me to generate retirement income and also not be a dangerous old codger on the road.

[Chief Pagan]

Non-ownership, self-driving cars could be really transformative.

If you are no longer buying a car based on: well sometimes I need to carry five people and all this stuff and drive it up in the mountains and since I own it, it's part of my identity so I should get a big ass SUV/Truck etc.

I usually work from home and to the extent I ever commute, it is only about 15 minutes. But if I had some commute that was pushing up against an hour or something, and I was being picked up in a single occupancy vehicle (which is a separate discussion). It really only needs to have a single seat that folds back flat like a first class airline, but the car could be relatively small since it only needs to hold one person and not much stuff. I would plan on sleeping, nodding off in the morning. On the way back home, would probably recline back and spend it on my phone/tablet like I would on a plane.

For going to the grocery store or something involving family, yea you would order something larger. But unless the ride sharing is actually, like going to involve sharing rides, a lot of cars could both be small but have one, large comfortable seat.

The thing that worries me about the on demand car, is it not actually being there when I really want it. Like when there is a forest fire or flood, I want to have a car in my driveway that is mine, that I know I can drive away in. Not a 'sorry, we aren't going to drive any of our cars into that to pick you up'.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

Non-ownership, self-driving cars could be really transformative.

If you are no longer buying a car based on: well sometimes I need to carry five people and all this stuff and drive it up in the mountains and since I own it, it's part of my identity so I should get a big ass SUV/Truck etc.

I usually work from home and to the extent I ever commute, it is only about 15 minutes. But if I had some commute that was pushing up against an hour or something, and I was being picked up in a single occupancy vehicle (which is a separate discussion). It really only needs to have a single seat that folds back flat like a first class airline, but the car could be relatively small since it only needs to hold one person and not much stuff. I would plan on sleeping, nodding off in the morning. On the way back home, would probably recline back and spend it on my phone/tablet like I would on a plane.

For going to the grocery store or something involving family, yea you would order something larger. But unless the ride sharing is actually, like going to involve sharing rides, a lot of cars could both be small but have one, large comfortable seat.

The thing that worries me about the on demand car, is it not actually being there when I really want it. Like when there is a forest fire or flood, I want to have a car in my driveway that is mine, that I know I can drive away in. Not a 'sorry, we aren't going to drive any of our cars into that to pick you up'.

Having my own car would also be really good if I slice my hand open cutting watermelon and need to get to an emergency room. But I guess we already have vehicles for that situation, and we call them ambulances.

So yeah, maybe it's big disasters that are the impetus for that. But in that case maybe you keep a scooter in the garage.

The life you're describing seems awesome. And you're right - you could have different sizes of autonomous vehicles that you can call if you're one-person commuting or going out to dinner with the wife or needing to bring drywall home from the store.

I'd also be thrilled to have a self-driving car for long road trips. It would be even better than a train because I could pull over at will.

This needs to happen.

[Graystoke]

This technology is going to line up with me aging perfectly.
My kids won’t have to have the discussion about should Dad quit driving.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yours made you press a button to turn on again every time you stop? All of the ones I've seen automatically start the engine again when you press the accelerator.

Mine starts as soon as you let off the break. Also it only goes off if you press the break pedal all the way. There is a spot where you apply the break and it doesn’t shut off. 2022 Honda Ridgeline so I assume this is how all new Hondas are.

[mr. tegu]

I cannot possibly imagine relying on a car to come get me for my daily activities. I don’t always plan ahead to go to the store or park or whatever. So the idea of ordering a car and waiting on it multiple times a day just sounds awful.

[suzzer99]

Being behind the adaptive cruise control people set to three car lengths is super annoying in LA, where everyone drives 80 bumper to bumper. Cars keep getting into the gap, which makes the adaptive car slow down, repeat ad nauseum.

Teslas used to always do this. I haven't seen it as much lately. I think the drivers got tired of it too.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

I cannot possibly imagine relying on a car to come get me for my daily activities. I don’t always plan ahead to go to the store or park or whatever. So the idea of ordering a car and waiting on it multiple times a day just sounds awful.

In the short-term, sure. I can imagine a distant future, though, where a majority of cars on the road aren't owned by an individual, and it would presumably be rare for you to have to wait for more than a couple of minutes for a ride.

Just think about how much lost "productivity" cars have today just sitting on the side of the road, in parking lots, or in garages. If cars are instead constantly moving and picking people up when they're needed, everything becomes more efficient.

Obviously that's just a vision, and I can't really see us getting to that point in the next decade unless someone makes another breakthrough, but I bet that's where we'll get to eventually.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Being behind the adaptive cruise control people set to three car lengths is super annoying in LA, where everyone drives 80 bumper to bumper. Cars keep getting into the gap, which makes the adaptive car slow down, repeat ad nauseum.

Teslas used to always do this. I haven't seen it as much lately. I think the drivers got tired of it too.

And yet I bet you'd still get to your destination within a minute of when you would have otherwise. Drivers dramatically overestimate the amount of time they can save by swerving around slower drivers in traffic.

For me, I find it's far less stressful to just calm down and let the car deal with all of the stuff like that. I'll sacrifice a minute or two of commute time for that.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DaFace

In the short-term, sure. I can imagine a distant future, though, where a majority of cars on the road aren't owned by an individual, and it would presumably be rare for you to have to wait for more than a couple of minutes for a ride.

Just think about how much lost "productivity" cars have today just sitting on the side of the road, in parking lots, or in garages. If cars are instead constantly moving and picking people up when they're needed, everything becomes more efficient.

Obviously that's just a vision, and I can't really see us getting to that point in the next decade unless someone makes another breakthrough, but I bet that's where we'll get to eventually.

There's car productivity and there's people productivity. Look at all of the people driving on I-70 across western Kansas with their eyes half-glazed. With self-driving cars they could be reading a book or knitting or learning how to use a band saw instead of staring at the car ahead of them.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

There's car productivity and there's people productivity. Look at all of the people driving on I-70 across western Kansas with their eyes half-glazed. With self-driving cars they could be reading a book or knitting or learning how to use a band saw instead of staring at the car ahead of them.

Seems legit.



(but DALL-E 3 apparently doesn't know what a band saw is)

[Bearcat]

I hope that guy donates blood.



(that was a vein joke, not power-tools-in-a-moving-van joke.... either works though, I guess)

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by DaFace

And yet I bet you'd still get to your destination within a minute of when you would have otherwise. Drivers dramatically overestimate the amount of time they can save by swerving around slower drivers in traffic.

For me, I find it's far less stressful to just calm down and let the car deal with all of the stuff like that. I'll sacrifice a minute or two of commute time for that.

I don't necessarily feel that I save time by tailgating someone driving 75 on the freeway. But if you are the only vehicle with a gap, it does seem that you can get a large stream of vehicles taking advantage of the gap to swerve into that space which doesn't always feel safer or less stressful than tailgating?

But if I was napping in a driverless car, I guess I would be okay with it.

Or better yet, if all the cars were driverless.

[HemiEd]

For those interested in these self driving cars, you might enjoy the series on Prime called "Upload."

[seamonster]

Driverless cars drive slower than 96 year old asian women. No thanks.