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I enjoy a little involvement with the driving experience every now and again. My wife, however, loves the idea of a self-driving car. I tell her if she had one of those, she would not need me around anymore.
Who is going to pay to service and maintain these public cars? Who will keep them clean? People are filthy pigs. I wouldn't ride in most people's cars now, and with nobody responsible for them who will care for these "public cars"?
Add in costs of repairs due to vandalism, and what will these things ACTUALLY cost? Relying on Uber or Lyft isn't cheap either.
I find the idea that people are just going to willingly give up freedom of movement to be ludicrous. The motorcar offered real advantages over a horse. Once Ford developed the Model T, a car could be purchased for less than a horse and buggy, it didn't have to be fed when it wasn't being used. The motor car freed people from dependence on train schedules and allowed ordinary people freedom to travel. So now, we're going to willingly surrender all that for some dystopian future?
Who is going to pay to service and maintain these public cars? Who will keep them clean? People are filthy pigs. I wouldn't ride in most people's cars now, and with nobody responsible for them who will care for these "public cars"?
Add in costs of repairs due to vandalism, and what will these things ACTUALLY cost? Relying on Uber or Lyft isn't cheap either.
I find the idea that people are just going to willingly give up freedom of movement to be ludicrous. The motorcar offered real advantages over a horse. Once Ford developed the Model T, a car could be purchased for less than a horse and buggy, it didn't have to be fed when it wasn't being used. The motor car freed people from dependence on train schedules and allowed ordinary people freedom to travel. So now, we're going to willingly surrender all that for some dystopian future?
I'm hoping you read the article? The article points out some pretty good arguments as to why this vision is believed. You see how Uber and others have taken off, right? There will be Ubers in the future running this four-wheeled network. Cleaning the cars would be the lest of their issues. I'm betting there will be cams everywhere too. This will be cause some want the cheapest ride they can get. Which means picking up others on your journey. Obviously there will be the option to use the car yourself. It's just going to cost you more.
One point they might have problems with is people are going to want to drive themselves. I'm thinking the price of doing so is going to change alot of people's minds.
Is this like where they said we'd have flying cars in every drive-way by now?
I saw an article that mentioned that depending on where the battery was made, an electric car can actually have a higher carbon footprint than a comparable diesel. This is because of the creation of the lithium ion battery takes a lot of resources. If the battery is created in a country that relies more heavily on coal, it can take several years and thousands of miles to break even to the carbon footprint of a comparable IC car. I only mention this because the article mentioned electric cars.
Also how would you like to swap all your luggage/cargo over to another vehicle because the automated vehicle you called ran out of juice?
It's an interesting idea, but I think 20 years is an optimistic timeline.
Maybe 10 years ago, I would of called the statement total ridiculousness.
And rate of change, the pace of change, and even the exact direction of change is hard to predict or know. BUT....
I believe things are changing.
I think we are slowly moving out of the golden age of the personally owned ICE vehicle.
I think alternatives, in the form of electric vehicles, hybrids, will gain in acceptance and adoption.
And I see a subtle but strong shift in the whole thinking about owning a vehicle.
I think this younger generation is far more inclined to NOT own a personal vehicle. Vehicle sharing, on demand rentals, or utilizing public transportation is becoming much more accepted and popular, not based on whether you can afford a vehicle, but just as a matter of choice.
It's NOT all going to disappear over night. I don't expect to step out to a sidewalk welcomed by a self driving taxi. But I do think things are changing.
I do think if I live long enough? I could be telling younger people about a strange and mysterious time, when automobiles were HUGE, ran on gasoline, and everyone owned one, or at least wanted to own one.
Anybody see Lyft's "all access" plan they announced this week? Unlimited up to 30 rides/month for $299.
Of course this has no appeal if you need your car twice per day, but think about how many people own a car and drive less than that. I bet even some of the ppl who are right now going "well ME I still need to own my own car" have a second car in the household that is used less than the primary. Even if you were an enthusiast this could make sense - own ONLY your supra or whatever and take a lyft to work on days when the weather is snowy.
And the genius of this plan is they're subtly changing the mental calculation from a cost per ride (which people hate shelling out for) to cost per month (which is how people budget car payments). I own my car but depreciation and tax and insurance are about that even on a Fit.
So again. Won't take the whole market by any means. Could take 20% in a decade or so. And that is a big deal!
Anybody see Lyft's "all access" plan they announced this week? Unlimited up to 30 rides/month for $299.
Of course this has no appeal if you need your car twice per day, but think about how many people own a car and drive less than that. I bet even some of the ppl who are right now going "well ME I still need to own my own car" have a second car in the household that is used less than the primary. Even if you were an enthusiast this could make sense - own ONLY your supra or whatever and take a lyft to work on days when the weather is snowy.
And the genius of this plan is they're subtly changing the mental calculation from a cost per ride (which people hate shelling out for) to cost per month (which is how people budget car payments). I own my car but depreciation and tax and insurance are about that even on a Fit.
So again. Won't take the whole market by any means. Could take 20% in a decade or so. And that is a big deal!
That's not a bad deal for people that use it. $15 max on the rides and the user pays the difference is fair.
Tell you the truth, I have yet to take a ride with any company. I looked into becoming a driver once with Uber, but I was really taken back by giving them all my info and they gave nothing in return! I never even was given a rep to go back to for follow up. Just call up and give info.
I'm hoping you read the article? The article points out some pretty good arguments as to why this vision is believed. You see how Uber and others have taken off, right? There will be Ubers in the future running this four-wheeled network. Cleaning the cars would be the lest of their issues. I'm betting there will be cams everywhere too. This will be cause some want the cheapest ride they can get. Which means picking up others on your journey. Obviously there will be the option to use the car yourself. It's just going to cost you more.
One point they might have problems with is people are going to want to drive themselves. I'm thinking the price of doing so is going to change alot of people's minds.
Yes, I read the article. They'll take my car when they pry my cold dead hands from the steering wheel. I'm an old man, with little left to look forward to. Nobody wants to hear the music I play and women don't want to have sex with me. Driving or riding my motorcycle is about the only enjoyment I have left and now you want to take that away from me, too? There will be trouble if you try.
Last edited by Uncle Gary; 10-24-2018 at 01:06 PM.
Back when I was little, my parents drummed the mantra into me: "don't EVER give a ride to a stranger!" Now Uber and Lyft are monetizing doing just that. To me, the same safety concerns still apply. You don't know who you're getting into that car with.
Yes, I read the article. They'll take my car when they pry my cold dead hands from the steering wheel. I'm an old man, with little left to look forward to. Nobody wants to hear the music I play and women don't want to have sex with me. Driving or riding my motorcycle is about the only enjoyment I have left and now you want to take that away from me, too? There will be trouble if you try.
I wish I could just give a thumbs up or "like" your post, but instead I will just quote it for ALL to see again.
I may not be as old, I'm in my mid 40's, but share your sentiment.
Yes, I read the article. They'll take my car when they pry my cold dead hands from the steering wheel. I'm an old man, with little left to look forward to. Nobody wants to hear the music I play and women don't want to have sex with me. Driving or riding my motorcycle is about the only enjoyment I have left and now you want to take that away from me, too? There will be trouble if you try.
Ugh.
Old people are the absolute worst. "I'm old & miserable so I'll make damn sure my impact in my last years is as negative as possible!"
Old people are the absolute worst. "I'm old & miserable so I'll make damn sure my impact in my last years is as negative as possible!"
I have a MAJOR problem with the current idea, shared by many, that it's OK to impose your wishes or lifestyle on others.
You don't want a car...don't have one. You don't want a gun...don't have one. You don't want to eat meat...don't eat meat. You want a pink house...paint your house pink. You want to wear flip flops...wear flip flops. I don't care what others do, but don't tell me what to do.
I have a MAJOR problem with the current idea, shared by many, that it's OK to impose your wishes or lifestyle on others.
You don't want a car...don't have one. You don't want a gun...don't have one. You don't want to eat meat...don't eat meat. You want a pink house...paint your house pink. You want to wear flip flops...wear flip flops. I don't care what others do, but don't tell me what to do.
Please tell that to conservatives that for decades have:
-Sought to control a woman's access to birth control, abortions, what they can wear, etc.
-Opposed LGBTQ folks who just wish to love who they love
-Fought non-white folks and their wishes to live a safe life with the same opportunities as white folks
-Fought to force prayer into public schools
-Paid sports organizations to force the national anthem down our throats
-Outlawed drugs but legalized others, seemingly at random
-Fought to limit access to voting for those whose views they don't agree with
Last I checked no liberal politicians have fought to ban any of the stuff you mentioned, my list is comprised of real things that have happened & are actively happening now.
Controlling others is not a new idea. And the ones you're accusing of trying to control others are not the ones trying to do it.
OH NO MAH GUNS......so you can control both your life & my own? Thanks, I really wanted a crazy reactionary with the power of lethal force to control my life.
Sadly the idea of conservative and liberal have taken on different meanings through the years. I grew up a liberal, because I believe in the freedom to choose everything. Now liberals want to control things just as much as conservatives. I don't personally side with either any more. Too many hidden agendas.
What happened to the actual liberals that don't want the government to control anything? Like, take our money, pave the roads, give us libraries, provide education, and stay out of most of the rest of everything else.
As for the original topic...until the liability side of driverless cars is figured out, I don't think we'll see it happen. Too much risk with half the population looking for a reason to sue someone.
10-15-2018, 06:41 PM
